Riding Shotgun With the Devil
by Skaoi
Summary: A rather pointed explanation leads down a rabbit hole. Rated for safety. There's a general non-con reference; if that's a trigger, don't read this. Chapter titles are from songs. I don't own Lucifer characters, but I do own the OCs that show up. I hope you love them as much as I do.
1. Why Can't We Be Friends

Why Can't We Be Friends?

Lucifer paces furiously on his balcony, fidgeting with his lighter and ignoring the view of the city below. _The Lord of Hell does not get nervous_ , he thinks to himself. _Certainly not about having a conversation with a mortal._ He takes a long pull of his scotch and resumes his agitated pacing which seems spurred on by the traitorous echo of a thought, _Not just any mortal_.

The elevator opens and he sighs before finishing his drink. He looks up, a saccharine mask affixed to his face, "Detective! So good of you to come by. I…was wondering if we might…have a chat."

Chloe Decker steps cautiously into the club owner's palatial suite and is instantly suspicious of Lucifer's solicitous tone. "What did you do THIS time, Lucifer?"

He waves her off and gestures to a sofa. "Nothing. Well…yet, at least. For now." He stops, realizing he is stammering. _Pathetic_. Lucifer walks behind his bar to pour another drink, grabbing a glass to pour for Chloe as well. He hands it to her and gestures again for her to sit, "Please," while taking the chair across so they are face to face.

She narrows her eyes as she perches on the edge of the couch, "What's going on, Lucifer? You're being more weird than usual." She takes a sip of her scotch and waits for him to calm down. Finding he can't stay seated, he gets up and begins pacing again. Chloe moves to stand but he motions for her to stay, "Please. I…need to talk to you about something and…well. Quite honestly, I'm not sure how to approach it."

"I'm pretty sure I can handle anything you have to say, Lucifer. Remember my job? I've seen just about everything," she tries to reassure him.

His hand still in mid-gesture, he shakes his head with a soft laugh. "No, I promise you've not…seen…this and I don't want….I…" he finishes the scotch in his glass then turns to the bar, slamming it down in frustration. The glass breaks apart, "Dammit!" he exclaims.

Chloe gets up from the couch and gently puts a hand on top of his shoulder, "Look. Just say it. Whatever it is. Friends listen to each other, right? I'm not going anywhere, so take your time." She gives him a hopeful look and soft squeeze as he turns to look down at her.

 _Friends._ He rolls the word around in his head for a moment and lets it reach the tip of his tongue. Tasting it. Lucifer gives an absent-minded nod then reaches into his pocket for something. She sees it's a key fob of some sort that he points at the elevator. With a click of the fob, the call button turns off. He looks down at her again, "You're right, Detective. You aren't going anywhere. I need you to sit down and just….listen."

Chloe feels anger bubbling up at being trapped in Lucifer's apartment. _Locked in a penthouse with a stressed, delusional, alcoholic sex addict. What could possibly go wrong?_ she thinks. Swallowing hard, she nods and sits down while he continues to pace.

He takes a deep breath and doesn't look at her as he begins to speak. "I've tried to envision how this would go down with you, Chloe. I really have. I want to be careful because…I find myself _caring_. About your safety. Your…" he glances at her and rakes a nervous hand through his hair, "…sanity."

 _How WHAT will go down?_ She opens her mouth but remains silent when she sees his expression. "Not yet," he says. "Q and A at the end, darling. I promise." She frowns and gestures for him to continue, "Okay." Lucifer fidgets with his cuff as he resumes pacing. She is momentarily distracted by his beautiful hands and graceful movement.

"Chloe," he turns to face her and takes a very deep breath. "You've not believed when I have told you repeatedly who I am." He arches a brow and shoots her the same sort of look her teachers would sometimes give her in school. _Ah, the old 'if only you applied yourself' look._ "In spite of seeing things you cannot explain, and in spite of being a clearly intelligent woman otherwise, you cling to this notion that I am….playing a role, if you will. Or perhaps you think me insane?" The brow goes up a little higher as his expression grows more pointed. Hot shame creeps across her face and she pulls her eyes away.

"I thought as much," he sighs. "I wish that were the case, honestly. How much easier all this rubbish would be if it were only a figment of my imagination. The grand delusion you believe it to be. But it's not." He barks a harsh laugh, "It would preferable to this _gift_ my father bestowed upon me, that's for bloody certain."

Chloe opens her mouth to defend her position and he stops her with another gesture. "Really, darling, please. You'll have plenty of time for that in a moment." She snaps her mouth shut and watches him continue to wear a path into his floor. "In your defense, I've not offered definitive proof." She nods as he continues. "I don't have these mythical horns everyone imagines. No tail to wave about as evidence. Not even sure how that would work with my Armani," he mutters, "…but I digress. I even destroyed my wings – not like you believed me when I told you about them, either." He unconsciously rolls his shoulders at the twinge that shoots through his scars. "But I do have….something."

He looks up and offers a rueful grin. "I can see it in your face. You wonder why I haven't shown you before. A reasonable question to be sure, but truthfully, Detective, I fear it would drive you mad. It does seem to have that effect, you know. I'm still concerned, but events have transpired which leave me no choice. This must be done as soon as possible and for that, I….apologize."

Chloe feels a tightness in her chest and recognizes it as fear. Not the pedestrian variety of apprehension that comes from running late to work or racing through a red light during a car chase. This is a primal, in her soul need to run or die. But her trust in Lucifer is stronger than her fear, as is her curiosity, so she stays seated.

 _I don't deserve this_ , he thinks as he walks behind the bar and watches the internal battle play out in her glass-green eyes. "I'm going to stand over here." He removes the elevator fob and clicks the button again – the call light turns on. "You can leave if you truly feel the need….but I desperately hope you don't," he finishes softly. _And please don't bloody scream._ "Ready, Detective?"

She takes a deep breath, looks him squarely in the eye and nods, "Okay," she answers nervously.

He decides that showing his face is too heavy-handed, so he opts instead to let her see his eyes for now. _Small steps. She'll see too much soon enough._ "Believe me now, Detective?" He asks quietly as flame replaces the black-brown of his eyes. His voice is low and she feels it in her chest almost as much as she hears it with her ears.

Chloe's mouth falls open and she stands quickly, never looking away. _I'm going to DIE_ and _Damn, he's beautiful_ jockey for the primary position in her shocked mind.

Lucifer stays behind the bar to pour himself another drink and to give her the comfort of a large piece of furniture between them. It's her turn to pace but she never takes her eyes off him. Prey watching the predator, as it were. And Old Scratch is the ultimate predator.

She tosses back the rest of her drink and sets the glass down. She finds her voice and carefully takes a small step forward. "How? Why? I….oh my God. Oh– sorry! It's just…this isn't possible."

He chuckles in spite of himself and his eyes return to normal, "It's fine, my dear. Process as you need to. I assure you it's quite possible. As for the how and why, you'll need to ask my Father. Let me know if he gives you an answer, will you? We don't really talk much anymore." He tosses back two fingers of whiskey as she watches him. _Just bloody once, I wish I could get drunk_ , he thinks. _I really deserve it after this._ "I see you're not moving to shoot me again, so that's very good, isn't it?" he asks hopefully.

Chloe forgot about her gun and feels a spasm of panic up her spine, " _Should_ I shoot you? Are you going to hurt me?" She frowns as she stands a little straighter, narrows her eyes and steps forward with her hand unconsciously moving toward her hip holster, "Or Trixie?"

 _She dares threaten Satan himself, in his own home, if she thinks he means to harm her spawn. Fascinating. And adorable._ He smiles softly, "Absolutely not, Detective. The sad truth of the matter is that I have come to care what happens to Beatrice." He pauses for a long moment then lowers his voice, "And about what happens to her mother. Which brings us to why you are here."

Chloe gives him a confused look, "you…care….about us? About…me?" Confusion changes to suspicion, "Why? What do you want?"

He refills his glass and walks from behind the bar with the bottle in hand. She steps backward carefully as he approaches, her posture wary. A wistful grin slides across his face, "I believe I've made 'what I want' from you abundantly clear, darling.'

Chloe pales, _Oh my God, The Devil wants to…_

For a moment, the only thing Chloe can hear is the pounding of her heart, and then Lucifer shrugs, "As for why I care, I've been trying to figure it out, truth be told. This whole thing with you being immune to my charms, I can be injured when I'm near you. _Feelings._ " He refills her glass then walks slowly to his chair, turning his back as if offering her an opportunity to escape or shoot him. Not that he'd try to stop either action. The Devil is tired and everything in his posture shows it.

Lucifer sits heavily before continuing, "Perhaps it's because you don't want anything from me."

Chloe looks confused again, "I don't understand." His expression turns sad and he sighs, "Humans since the dawn of time have wanted things from me. Power, wealth, sex…name it. All these ugly, selfish little desires they feel the need to bother me with. Trade favors for." He shrugs again, "You don't, and it intrigues me."

It's her turn to pace, "What's to stop me from doing it now that I believe you?" Lucifer gives a tight smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Tease." Then he shakes his head in the negative, "If you were so inclined, you'd have done it already. Even people who don't entirely believe me at least recognize that I'm someone who can make things happen for them if they desire. You've never asked for anything that you haven't first given yourself."

Her stomach drops. "What have I given you, Lucifer?" she asks quietly. His gaze softens, "Don't look so concerned, my dear. I'm simply referring to your friendship. And…your trust. I believe they were mine, at least until 5 minutes ago?"

Chloe frowns, "But you make these deals. You get reimbursed, sort of. What about that?" He scoffs and shakes his head, "Meaningless, for the most part. I can take what I want, from anyone I want, at any time. Well, "he gestures at her, "except as it relates to you, of course. I don't call in even half of it, and when I do, it's still more often than not something to benefit the other person." He looks away for a moment before continuing softly, "Delilah was going to pull herself together. She never got the chance before that wanker Jimmy Barnes had her riddled with bullets."

She cocks her head, "Then why do you do it?"

He shrugs, "To see what happens, really. To stave off the inevitable boredom that comes with immortality. It doesn't happen much, of course, but you humans can occasionally be unpredictable. I do love a good surprise."

"But, if you're the…um…Devil," she continues, "I thought you're supposed to hurt people and tempt them and stuff. You don't seem evil at all. Just, maybe a little strange." _I'm not evil?_ Lucifer feels something warm in his chest, and his mouth twists into an ironic grin as he raises his glass in a mock toast, "Oh, I am Temptation itself, my dear, but I _am_ still an angel. An archangel, really, if we're splitting hairs; condemned to carry out Father's orders. The torture I mete out is more often than not self-inflicted by the recipients. Never had a taste for most of it, myself, really. I'm usually just a facilitator, if you will. I manage the asylum where these miscreants all flagellate themselves for the rest of eternity."

"So, all this murder, rape and mayhem that you're credited with causing…lies?" she asks. His face flushes with anger as he visibly struggles to control himself. "Angels, even fallen ones, cannot kill humans, Detective. Still subject to Dad's rules on that note, as much as I've occasionally desired otherwise." The muscle in his jaw clenches for a moment and he fairly growls between gritted teeth, "Rape is especially abhorrent to me. Sex is something I enjoy a great deal and this violent act has nothing to do with it. It's about power and taking away another person's free will. Why in Father's name would I encourage such a horrible thing? My own quest for free will is what started this whole bloody 'Hell' business in the first place, so I'm obviously very committed to the concept. I have a very special wing set aside for these people and have, at times, taken a very personal interest in dealing out their punishment." He closes his eyes to take a steadying breath.

"I'm sorry, Lucifer. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories for you." She pauses, "You really had wings, didn't you? And Maze cut them…I can't imagine how much that must have hurt. Do you miss it? The wings….flying?"

His eyes pop open. The look on Chloe's face is unexpectedly kind, and sad, and absent of any fear that she'd overstepped her boundaries with the Lord of Hell. "Sometimes," he replies, trying to ignore another twinge on his back. "It would certainly keep me out of traffic snarls if I could just fly about, right?" he chuckles lightly and she smiles back at him.

Lucifer's dark eyes travel over her as he sits forward and she can't help the delicious shiver up her spine. "Nobody cares for the Devil's person, my dear. It's all about them, of course. But you…you seem genuinely concerned about my well-being. It's a novelty I've decided I rather like. I don't recall ever having a _friend_ before. What do I…DO with this, since you won't let me shag you senseless, I mean? I find I'm rather out of my element."

 _The Devil Himself is my friend_ , Chloe thinks to herself. Her chest feels tight and her hands feel cold. She paces a little more, keeping him in sight while she taps her finger to her lips. He silently watches her process the evening's events and desperately clings to the small amount of patience in his possession. She nods to herself, as if having made a decision, then looks him in the eye and points her finger at him, "Show me the rest of it."

Lucifer's eyebrows go up and his jaunty grin reaches his eyes, "Cheeky! Are we to be friends with benefits, then? Well, right-o!" he reaches for the buttons on his shirt. She gestures to stop him, "No-no-no. Your appearance. It's not just your eyes that change, is it? _This_ isn't what you really look like." It wasn't a question. His brow furrows, "What leads you to believe there is more, Detective?" he asks carefully.

Chloe shrugs, "Jimmy and Lindsey were both somehow driven insane just by you looking at them and as freaky as it is to see your eyes do…that, it's not enough to explain them going crazy. There has to be more."

He nods slowly, "There…is…but…" "Show me," she interrupts. "I need to see." He stands up and gives her a pointed look, "I rather like your sanity intact, if you don't mind. Hard to solve crimes if you're a gibbering idiot, don't you think?" She raises her gaze to meet his, "I'm not afraid of you, Lucifer."

He scoffs and walks to the bar to put his glass down. He looks down into her face as he passes close enough to touch, "That's not the point. Can I be afraid _for_ you? This is no small thing you ask, Detective." She nods, "I know. If you're not ready right now, it's okay." Lucifer releases a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Thank you."

She resumes pacing, clearly deep in thought. "A penny, Detective?" She looks up at him and he can almost see gears turning. "So…it's all true?" she asks. "God and angels and….you. All of it?" He nods slowly, "In some fashion, yes, although a fair amount of the details have been exaggerated a bit."

"The Virgin Mary?" she asks, "and Jesus?"

Lucifer pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs heavily. "First off, Mary was no more a virgin than I am. And I promise that my Father never came down and shagged some random peasant girl. The Divine can't even MAKE spawn. _Begotten son_ , my angelic ass." Chloe can't help but laugh. "Your…um…father isn't going to hit you with lightning or something for saying things like that is he?"

Encouraged, he grins back. "Please, Detective. If he were going zap me, he'd have done it well before today, I assure you. Jesus was largely the beneficiary of good marketing. A stroll over some barely submerged rocks, take advantage of some poor sod who can't count fish, that sort of thing, then whammo! You've got miracles and whatnot."

"So, what now, Lucifer? You told me that something has happened that forced you to reveal yourself to me. What happened?"

"Ah yes. The real reason you're here." He takes a deep breath and begins pacing again, trying to figure out how to proceed. "You recall the recent unfortunate events in that airplane hangar, yes?" She nods a wordless reply. "And you also recall that I…"

"Oh my God, you ACTUALLY died," she gasps. "To save us," she whispers, as her hand flies to her mouth. Tears suddenly fill her eyes as she stares at him.

Puzzled, he observes her reaction for a moment then takes a careful step toward her. Then another. Then he is arm's-length away but moves no closer, uncertain how to proceed. His eyes seem fully black now as he gazes down at her, concern etched into his face. "Chloe, I…yes…" he begins then stops as she reaches out to carefully touch his abdomen through his shirt. "You were shot….here…and…" she stammers, fat tears rolling down her face. _So much blood._ She grimaces and looks up at him, "But how could you die if you're…if you're _you_?" His smile is sad as he reaches to gently stroke her cheek. She closes her eyes and leans into him, and he swears to his father he feels something in his chest break apart.

Lucifer gathers her into his arms and kisses the top of her head, "For the same reason I as able to come back, my dear," he responds softly. Unbidden, her arms work their way around his waist while he comforts her. She can't help but notice how very warm he is as she holds him. _Of course he's warm_ , she thinks, then her eyes pop open, _I'm hugging Satan. No,_ her heart replies, _This is lovely. You're hugging Lucifer…he feels so good. What took you so damned long?_

Lucifer feels her tense and grudgingly loosens his arms to let her go if she wants. She simply looks up at him, arms still around his waist. Her giant green eyes blink the last of the tears away and he smiles softly. He brings his hand to her cheek again and softly strokes it with his thumb. Unable to resist any longer, he lowers his mouth to whisper a kiss on her lips. Lucifer purrs gently as he pulls away, "I'm sorry. Not really." _Father, make her stop looking at me like that._

Chloe blushes and shakes her head, "Don't be sorry." She starts to let him go, "I shouldn't have …I didn't mean…oh, I got mascara on your shirt…"

"To bloody Hell with the shirt," he growls then moves in again. This kiss is demanding and passionate; heat, smoke and spice as he nips her bottom lip, insisting she let him in. He tastes her as if he has all the time in the world, conducting a thorough exploration of her mouth with his tongue. It's everything she would have expected if she were honest about the number of times she's thought about it. But she's not.

One hand delicately rests on her cheek as the other snakes its way down her spine, pressing her against him as it travels. When it gets to her lower back, he gently thrusts forward with a soft groan and she is immediately acquainted with what the Devil's pleasure may entail for the evening.

Her mind spinning, _Oh my God, I'm kissing The Devil,_ Chloe grasps for some vestige of self-control. Lucifer moves his lips to her neck, his hot breath raising goosebumps. Panting, she puts her hand on his chest to give a weak push. "Stop…" Unhearing, he gently bites her neck while pulling her lower body closer. Devouring her. She feels her knees giving way and tries again, "Lucifer….please…" she whimpers.

He stops and looks down at her with black eyes, his ragged breath on her her mouth as he seems to consider his next assault. "What's wrong?" he asks, his voice hoarse. He narrows his eyes as he takes in her expression and feels her shaking, "Hold on, are you really going to say no?" She blushes and extricates herself from his arms, "I…um….yeah. Lucifer, I…can't."

Lucifer cocks his head as he begrudgingly releases her, completely confused, "I don't understand. You most certainly CAN, as I'm sure all the parts fit perfectly fine together. It's more a case that you WON'T, is that it? Two very different things, my dear. And don't try telling me you don't want to," his dark eyes rake over her body before resting on her face and he smirks. "You can't lie to the Devil, darling. I can _smell_ how much you want it." He pauses and a hint of sadness flits across his face, "Are you afraid of me?"

Her stomach clenches and her mouth is dry as she tries to answer. _What is WRONG with you? LOOK at him_ , she thinks. Lucifer begins to walk slowly around her, watching her carefully.

Chloe puts a hand up to stop his prowling and she notices it's shaking almost as much as her knees. "I didn't say that." She tries to look at anything except the devastating man in front of her, "It's a bit…overwhelming." His smile drips with sin, "You need to be kissed like that more often, then, my dear. Detective Douche a bit lackluster in the snogging department? Color me not surprised. So then why…"

"This is not what I want from you right now, Lucifer," she blurts out. "You're a _friend_. A GOOD friend who happens to be funny and irritating and great on the piano and charismatic and…yes….damned good-looking and…I have _never_ been kissed like that." He can't help preening.

"But I need you to simply be a friend right now," she continues. "Nothing else. Please. I'm not ready for something more than that. Especially with…"

"With whom? The Devil?" Lucifer interrupts with a huff of frustration. "Beelzebub? Satan?" _This is why I can't have nice things_ , he grumbles internally.

Chloe looks irritated, "I was going to say 'with all these other complications in my life right now.' Dan's in jail, Trixie can barely sleep after the kidnapping, I…" she stops in mid-sentence. _I see you die every time I close my eyes._ "…am trying to get back to a normal routine. This isn't just about _you_ , Lucifer."

His eyes widen as understanding breaks over him, "Oh." He rakes his hand through his hand again and steps back to put some space between them. "Of course." Lucifer stands a bit straighter and adjusts his shirt, "I suppose I _have_ given you a bit to think about with the whole…me…thing." She nods, "Thank you for understanding."

He offers a half-laugh, "Yes, well, that's what friends do, isn't it? Understand?" _Even when they don't really? Especially when they don't WANT to?_ Chloe smiles weakly and gives a short nod. "Yeah. Look, it's late, I should…go." Lucifer starts to nod absently, lost in thought then raises his hand, "Wait! You can't go just yet. I still need to tell you the whole reason I asked you to come in over in the first place."

Chloe frowns, "Lucifer, I'm exhausted. Can't it wait?" He has the grace to look pained, "I'm afraid not, Detective. You may wish to sit down again." He turns to the bar for the bottle, "You'll certainly want to refill your glass. I know I do."

She silently watches as he pours a double for each of them then returns the bottle to the bar. "So," she begins. "What is it?"

Lucifer takes a deep breath, "My mum's escaped Hell and she's no doubt come topside to wreak havoc of some sort." Chloe shoots him a sharp look, "I'm guessing by your reaction that Mom is worse than…Dad?" Lucifer slowly nods and…

Maze exits the elevator, "Lucifer, I found him."


	2. Sinister Kid

Chloe is startled but Lucifer doesn't even look up. "Where is he, Maze?"

The demon frowns at Chloe before continuing, "In a bar. Nearby, actually." Her posture shifts sinuously while her expression slides into a satisfied, feral grin, "He's hunting."

Lucifer nods then looks back at Chloe, "I need to go, my dear, but you're welcome to stay if you wish. There's a guest bed if you want to get some rest." He continues with a saucy grin, "Or you can sleep in my bed if you'd like me to wake you when I return."

Chloe is confused again, "Wait, where are you two going? Who are you talking about and what's he…hunting?" She turns her gaze to Maze for a long moment then blinks. _Shit - she's really a demon._

Maze looks at Lucifer, "She knows." He sighs as he stands up, "She does. Finally." The demon looks the detective over, "She's taking it well." He shrugs, "We had quite a long…chat." Maze snickers then stalks toward the door. _I'm sure._ "Are you coming?"

Lucifer looks back at Chloe as he takes a step after Maze, "No time to explain right now, Detective. You are welcome to join us, of course, but it's already been a long night for..." "What?" she interrupts. "A mortal?" He brightens, "Exactly!"

Chloe sets her glass down and stands up, "I'm coming."

 _Of course you are_ , thinks Maze darkly. _I couldn't get you out of my hair before…_

Lucifer drains his glass before setting it down, "Marvelous!" he grins. "We're like the Three Musketeers!" Maze scowls at him before he continues, "Lead on Maze."

The trio heads to the elevator then exits the building. "He's at Core, just a few blocks away," Maze explains. "We should walk."

Lucifer nods, "Not that he'd fit in the car, anyway. What…or _whom_ , I should say…is his quarry this evening? Is he on a job?"

Maze frowns and puts a hand on Lucifer's arm to stop him for a moment, "He's hungry." A grimace flits across Lucifer's face, "That's just bloody wonderful. I should have eaten something more substantial myself, apparently. Or grabbed some molly at the very least. Well, nothing for it now. Off we pop."

"I'm a COP, Lucifer, you can't just walk around doing drugs, especially when I'm around," Chloe cautions. He pouts at her, "Buzzkill." She shoots him a look she typically reserves for her daughter. "You two can explain what's going on while we walk. What's going on?" she demands.

The demon looks at her boss, " _You_ should tell her."

Lucifer fidgets with his jacket as they walk along, "Right, darling. I suppose I should. We are going to collect one of my…minions, if you will. You may consider him an elder sibling, of sorts, for Maze."

She frowns, "How many demons came out of Hell with you, Lucifer?"

"Just the two," he replies.

"Is he dangerous?" She realizes it's a stupid question as soon as the words leave her mouth. Maybe it's the way Lucifer's step slows for a moment. Or the look he shoots Maze. Most likely, though, it's Maze's dark chuckle, "Very."

Chloe rolls her eyes, "Of course. Okay, so, what's the plan? Are we going to send him back? Or exorcise him, or whatever it is you...people?...do when you kill each other?" Lucifer's eyes widen, "Of course not, Detective. We need him topside for now." She frowns, "Is he violent?" He visibly squirms, "Define violent."

"Dammit, Lucifer, stop being evasive," she growls at him. "What's the deal with this guy?"

Maze grins, "Niall is a big, fucking demon." Her eyes slide over Chloe and the human can't help a slight shudder. "Emphasis on the fucking. He can make you scream without even touching you," she purrs. "You'd be willing to die for it." She winks as they start walking again, a little extra bounce in her step, "Worth it."

Lucifer looks down at Chloe, "Yes, well, I suppose your human mythology calls his sort an incubus. Whilst I have the ability to draw out people's desires, he actually _feeds_ on them."

He turns to Maze and sounds irritated, "Before you get yourself all hot and bothered, Maze, remember what we need him for." He glances at Chloe, "The Detective is off limits, as it relates to _that_ , at least. Do I make myself clear?"

Maze smirks up at her boss, "Keeping your pet for yourself?" Chloe hears a low growl then sucks in her breath when she looks at Lucifer's face; his eyes are glowing angrily. "Enough," he snarls.

The demon ducks her head, "Fine." The three of them walk the remaining few blocks in silence. The line to get in the door is ridiculous, but Lucifer walks to the front and nods to the bouncer, who promptly lets them in.

Loud, throbbing dance music assaults her ears and Chloe looks around. The place is wall-to-wall people and Lucifer grabs her hand while he leans down to give Maze instructions. The demon nods once then disappears into the sea of bodies. Still gripping Chloe's hand, Lucifer leads her to the bar. They find a small pocket of space and she tip-toes to shout into his ear, "What does this guy look like?"

Lucifer orders drinks then leans down to answer, "He's enormous, really. And beautiful, of course. Black hair, pale as milk. Hard to miss, unless he doesn't want you to see him, that is." He frowns and accepts glasses from the bartender, "and if he's hunting, that may be the case. Let's see what Maze tracks down." Lucifer takes a sip of his drink as he scans the crowd.

Chloe raises her glass to her lips and blinks. _A soda?_ She smirks up at Lucifer while hefting her glass, "You cutting me off?" He looks down at her with a tired smile, "It's been an exhausting night for you already, my dear. We don't want Maze carrying you home because you passed out from too many cocktails, now do we?" "What about you?" she rebuts. "Now that I think about it, do you drink _anything_ but liquor?" He chuckles and shakes his head, "Of course. But I also have the misfortune of unassailable sobriety." "Oh," she replies. "Well, thanks for seeing to mine." He raises his own glass in salute. _Definitely coming around_ , he thinks happily to himself.

As if her name is a summons, Maze appears out of the crowd. She gestures at the dance floor, "Found him." Lucifer nods and puts down his glass, "Did he see you?" The demon shakes her head, "No."

"Good." He points at Maze, then to Chloe, "Stay here for now. Maze, get her back to Lux if things go south." Chloe looks confused but Maze nods curtly, "Of course."

Lucifer slides onto the dance floor, easily avoiding the crush of humanity around him. _This music is bloody awful,_ he grumbles inwardly. _Hundreds of thousands of years, and humans still haven't left this ridiculous thumping behind._ But it serves its purpose. The bodies around him all seem to be moving in one synchronous motion – except for one – and nobody notices as he weaves his way between them. A touch here, a smile there. Lucifer pauses a moment to watch, doing nothing to stop the pride he feels watching his first creation do what he does best. The scene calls to mind a school of fish with a shark swimming through it, taking small bites as it passes by.

In spite of his size, Niall passes gracefully among the men and women around him, drinking in the energy. Emerald green eyes close for a moment and he inhales; a long, slow, deep breath. Sweat, alcohol and sex. _It smells so good in here._ He opens his eyes and the spaded end of his tail twitches slowly, unnoticed as it lays against the back of one leg. A lithe redhead breaks from a group of friends and dances her way over, the invitation in her eyes is clear. _Delicious_.

He smiles gently and begins to move with the young lady. _Very nice_ , he thinks as he watches her writhe in front of him. A single, black eyebrow arches up in question and she nods as he moves closer. She doesn't back away as he bends to reach his arms around her. One massive hand splays across her lower back while the other begins to stroke delicately down her spine. She shivers and her eyes glaze slightly, but the smile never leaves her face. To everyone else on the floor they appear as just another couple enjoying an intimate moment on the floor.

Niall leans down to nuzzle her neck as she grinds against him, his mouth just under her ear. Another stroke, another slow, deep breath as he siphons energy from her. _Very nice indeed._ The tail twitches again as he feels her begin to relax. _Not too much_ , he cautions as he raises his mouth from her neck. She sighs against him and he drops a soft kiss on her lips, _I wasn't here. And thank you_ , then he disappears into the crowd again, leaving the young lady to sway slowly to the music for a moment before rejoining her friends. Back to the hunt.

Lucifer smiles as he moves forward, "Well done, Niall. Enjoying the buffet?" The demon turns carefully and looks down with a half-smile. "My Lord," he bows his head for a moment. "It's a pleasure to see you as always, but may I finish my dinner?" Lucifer shakes his head sadly, "Sorry, chap. As much fun as you are to watch, my need is rather pressing. Let's go."

Niall frowns, his green eyes darkening, "Apologies, sire, but I really need…" He rakes a hand through his mop of raven curls, absently scratching the base of one of the small black horns nestled there. Lucifer raises his hand, "I understand, but come along. I'll get you topped off." Niall blushes as a tremor courses through him, "I am most grateful."

Lucifer laughs while he claps the larger man on his back as they exit the dance floor, "Of course you are, come along, then."

Chloe watches as Lucifer approaches, his arm around another, larger man. Niall is a full head taller with loose black curls. He's bulkier than Lucifer and bright green eyes glitter on his pale face. He grins when he sees Maze, revealing brilliantly white teeth and slightly elongated canines. _Hell must have quite the dental plan_ , muses Chloe.

"Maze," he purrs as he looks her over. "You look delicious," he purrs. She puts her hand up to stop him from touching her as he steps forward, "Dinner first, dessert later." "Deal," he agrees with a wink.

Niall turns his gaze to Chloe and the hunger in his eye is unmistakable. _For me?_ He takes a deep breath, _mmmm….she is strong_. A predatory grin appears on his face as his posture shifts almost imperceptibly.Chloe's mouth goes dry and she feels rooted in place. _What the hell is going on?_ she wonders silently as panic begins to creep in.

Lucifer's hand appears on Niall's chest, "Not her. _Never_. Her." The demon takes a half-step back and ducks his head in submission, "My lord." Lucifer's hand moves to Niall's shoulder and directs them all out of the club, "Come on."

They walk briskly down the street when Lucifer suddenly hauls the large demon into a nearby alley. Placing a hand on each shoulder, he shoves Niall hard against the wall, his eyes glowing red. Chloe steps forward, concerned Lucifer is going to hurt the other man for simply looking at her the wrong way. Maze puts an arm in front of her, "Stop." The detective looks at her, then back to the men facing each other in the alley, "But…"

Maze smirks, "Watch."

Lucifer reaches up and gently strokes Niall's cheek, "How are you, darling?" Niall shrugs, "Okay, mostly. Work is good but I've been having weird dreams lately, and I've been really tired and hungry. Like, _all_ the time." The smaller man frowns, "Strange dreams? Like what? You should have come see me."

Niall nods, ashamed, "I know, my lord. And I'm sorry. I was going to. The dreams are always the same. I'm running – it's almost like I'm back home, and I keep hearing this laughter. I can't get away from it. I wake up exhausted. And _starving_."

Lucifer nods and gives Niall's shoulder a gentle squeeze, "I suspect you're being affected by the very reason we were looking for you in the first place." "Sire?" Niall asks. Lucifer shakes his head, "We'll talk about it later."

Lucifer's other hand rests on Niall's chest and absently plays with the top button. "Any lovers?" The demon shrugs again, "There was someone but…" "Did you hurt them?" Lucifer interrupts. Niall's eyes widen, "No! She, um…oh, what is that expression humans use?...needed space."

Lucifer laughs and claps Niall softly on the shoulder while his eyes return to their usual blackish-brown, "Ah, humans." He shakes his head and can't resist a glance toward Chloe. Niall cocks his head and follows his master's gaze, "The golden-haired human, my lord…she is yours?" Lucifer snaps his gaze back, "No. I mean…" he sighs and glances back. "Well, I suppose as it relates to her status amongst my legion…yes."

Lucifer's posture softens slightly as he looks at Chloe, the earlier warmth in his chest blossoming again. With a start, he looks back up at the demon and straightens himself, stroking Niall's cheek again. "Well, let's get on with it, shall we?" He wraps his arms around Niall's neck and draws him closer, his breath hot on the demon's mouth. "Dinnertime," he whispers as his eyes glow again.

Niall lowers his mouth to Lucifer's and sighs when they make contact. "I've missed you, sire." His arms go around the slender, smaller man as he draws him closer, and his eyes flutter closed.

Chloe watches the intimate scene in the alley, slightly shocked. She suspected Lucifer was opportunistic when it came to choosing partners, but it wasn't exactly something she thought much about. She turns to Maze, "They…?" Maze shrugs, "Sure. It's the best way to keep Niall in check. Well, for Lucifer, at least."

Chloe watches as Lucifer returns the larger man's kiss. Passionately. Niall's arms have encircled Lucifer completely and the effect is almost as if Niall is actually drinking the smaller man in. _Is that a tail wrapping around Lucifer's leg?_

After a few moments, Lucifer releases Niall and staggers backward a step. _Definitely should have had an energy bar before coming out._ The demon sags against the wall for a moment, his breathe ragged and panting. The tail twitches and Chloe can't help but stare. His expression is blissful. Lucifer watches him closely, "Better?" Niall nods, his eyes still closed, "Thank you, sire."

Satisfied, Lucifer exits the alley. "Yes, well, now that I've recharged your batteries, so to speak, let's talk about what we need with you."

Niall falls into step beside him, "Of course, my Lord. How may I serve you?"

Lucifer stops again and puts his hand up as they return to Chloe and Maze, "I suppose I should make introductions first, since you'll be working together. Niall Black, Chloe Decker. Chloe, meet Niall."

The demon carefully takes her hand and bows to press a warm kiss to her knuckles, "The pleasure is mine, Ms. Decker." Chloe blushes and looks at Lucifer as he continues, "Let's return to Lux where we may speak privately." Niall walks behind Lucifer and Chloe, next to Maze and the foursome walk the remaining few blocks in relative silence.

They enter the club and Lucifer motions for Maze to set up a round of drinks. Glasses in hand, Lucifer turns to Niall and gestures at Chloe, "She's got a target on her back and we need your help with it."

Chloe turns to look at him, "Lucifer, what are you talking about? I can take care of myself." He looks pained, "Unfortunately, my dear, as it relates to our recent escapee, you certainly cannot." He gestures at Niall, "Which is where Niall comes in."

"I don't need a bodyguard," she retorts. Lucifer winks at her, "The only guarding of your body to be done will be by me, darling, but that's not what he…does, exactly." She blushes and glares at him. "I think I got a pretty good idea of what he _does_ when you two were in the alley. Hell no."

"What? No! No, that was…how to explain this to you? I was feeding him, Detective." Her eyebrows knit together in disturbed confusion, but she says nothing. "Niall," Lucifer continues, "as we mentioned earlier, feeds on desire. What better way to top off his tank than to snog an archangel whose very existence is about desire? Shagging would be better, of course, but we haven't got the time to do that properly."

Chloe goes pale and her eyes widen in shock. _I am so never sleeping with him_ , she thinks to herself. Niall turns his head and coughs into his hand. "Sorry. Excuse me."

Undeterred, Lucifer continues, "But _you_ have nothing to worry about, darling. You are decidedly off the menu." He takes up pacing again and takes a drink, "However, he is also a telepath. The only one I've ever made because I quickly discovered it was a really horrible idea."

"Thank you, sire," the demon in question quips. Lucifer shrugs, "It's the truth, my dear. I mean, it certainly has its uses, but for the most part, it's just too dangerous. Luckily, you developed discipline." He winces, "Eventually."

 _No way_ , thinks Chloe.

 _Yes, way_ , Niall's voice answers in her mind. _And I heard what you thought about my sire a minute ago. Good luck with that._ She looks up at him in shock and he winks at her. "Get out of my head," she growls.

Lucifer raises his eyebrows in warning, "Play nice, Niall." The demon is contrite, "I apologize, Ms. Decker. That was out of line."

Continuing, Lucifer looks back to Chloe, "Our fugitive is very skilled at mental manipulation and, sadly, I have no talent for it. Niall is being tasked with training you to…defend yourself, if you will."

"No." Chloe says firmly. "Absofuckinglutely NOT."

Lucifer's eyebrows go up again and an amused smirk pulls his lips, "Such language, Detective! I should ply you with alcohol and up-end your entire view of the universe more often. I am sorry to report this is the best way."

She scowls at both of them, "Nobody goes into my head. Period."

Lucifer finishes his drink then gives a nonchalant shrug as he turns to place the empty glass on the bar. "Fine," he responds, his voice unusually sharp. "There is one other way to protect you." Chloe nods, "Okay, what is it?"

He takes a deep breath and turns back to her. The expression in his black eyes is sad. _Wrecked._ "We would each have to forget about the existence of the other," he whispers hoarsely.


	3. Dreams

Chloe scowls, "And how do you plan to do that?" Lucifer says nothing but his eyes flick toward Niall. "Is that what you want?" she whispers, her voice hoarse and shaking.

She presses her hands against the sides of her head, hoping the pressure will alleviate some of the headache that's coming in. Frustrated, she stalks away from the unholy trio and tries to have a moment with her own thoughts.

After a long minute, she whirls on them, "Do you have any idea how completely _insane_ this all is? Seriously?" Lucifer looks about to say something but stops short at her glare. If looks could kill, they'd all be little ash piles right now. He wisely closes his mouth.

Maintaining a casual posture, Lucifer walks toward Chloe with a chummy smile on his face and hands in his pockets. He looks down at his shoes before he speaks, "Detective, please. Let's calm down, shall we? It's certainly been a lot to take in, I'll grant you that, but this ranting isn't going to help the situation."

Angry blue eyes look into concerned black ones, "You're THE DEVIL." He shrugs as he takes his hands out of his pockets. "Guilty as charged. As I've been tel-"

"Shut. Up," she snarls.

Niall narrows his eyes and his tail twitches, obviously ready to leap to Lucifer's defense. In the back of his mind, he hears Lucifer, " _Leave her be._ "

" _Sire?_ " The demon inquires. " _Her lack of respect is unacceptable._ "

" _I'd rather not ask again,_ " is the firm reply.

Niall sighs, " _Very well._ "

Chloe turns her glare on Maze, "You said once you almost killed me in my sleep. You weren't kidding, were you?" Maze casts a nervous glance at Lucifer, whose eyebrows are raised in his typical "Oh?" expression. She knows there will be a conversation about that later.

Chloe points at Niall, "At least YOU look the part. And I don't know how to hurt you yet, but I promise, if you don't stay out of my head, I'll figure it out. Got it?" An unpleasant, feral grin splits Niall's face, "Good luck with _that_ , too."

Lucifer clears his throat and looks at his creation, " _Silence until I say otherwise._ " Niall bows his head while Lucifer turns his back on the proceedings and walks to the bar. His brow furrows in concern over the human's obvious distress, "Darling, please. Can we be reasonable?"

Her eyes widen, "There is nothing reasonable about any of this, Lucifer. All these things… I thought were made up fairy tales…they're all true." A wry grin appears on his face, "Not exactly, my dear. Mermaids aren't actually a thing, you know. I'm sure your spawn will be disappointed, but Dad had to draw the line somewhere." Superhuman reflexes allow him to dodge the glass that comes flying toward his head. "Good arm, Detective! Want to hurl another? Would it help you feel better? Perhaps a bit of the heavier crystal might be more satisfying?"

She drops onto the sofa and buries her face in her hands. "I can't…."

"Darling," Lucifer calls from behind the bar, "I'd love nothing more than to come over and provide some comfort but I've a care for my safety, so I'll stay over here if you don't mind." He frowns, "Speaking of safety, where is young Beatrice this evening?"

Chloe raises her face and Lucifer sees her eyes are red. She's exhausted. "I had Mom take her to Disney for a few days," she replies. "I thought a change of scene after all…all that's happened would do her some good." Lucifer's posture relaxes a little, "Good. You can you ring your mother tomorrow and tell her to keep your spawn until she hears otherwise."

The detective looks irritated again, but the expression gives way to a yawn, "What would I say, Lucifer? 'Hey, mom, remember that crazy guy you met at dinner? Yeah, his mom's literally the worst psychopath ever, so you need to keep Trixie until we deal with her?' Sure, that will go over well."

Lucifer sighs as he walks toward her, "Come along, my dear, certainly you can do better than that. Simply tell her that you were just handed your most important case yet and you would be eternally grateful if she would mind young Beatrice while you deal with it." She frowns, "I'm not lying to my mother, Lucifer." He smirks, "Show me how any of that is a lie and I will be happy to call Penelope myself. We do actually need your help to deal with this and I assure you," he gives her a pointed look as he crouches down to take her hand, "You _will_ be eternally grateful if your spawn is safely out of the area."

Chloe yawns again and Lucifer gives her a gentle smile. "Let's get you to sleep, darling. The evening's excitement has caught you, it seems." He helps her stand and kisses her forehead affectionately. "We can chat more tomorrow." Her eyes widen to half-way open and she frowns, "Can't sleep here. I'll drive home."

 _Stubborn woman._ Lucifer shakes his head, "You certainly will not. And I refuse to drive you, so you must stay." "Fine," she pouts as he guides her to the guest room where he helps her onto the bed. She shucks off her shoes and slides under the blankets, fully clothed. She's asleep before he walks out of the room.

Niall looks up to see Lucifer returning to the living area. "You tolerate much from this woman, sire. I'm not comfortable with it." Lucifer rests a hand on Niall's shoulder as he walks by, "Lucky for all of us, then, that it's not your place to be comfortable with it. She is my… _friend_." Black eyebrows drop low in confusion, "Only a friend, my lord? She is not your…" "No." Lucifer replies. "She is not. Shocking, right?"

The demon is still confused, "Do you not desire her?" Lucifer laughs and shakes his head, "Oh yes. A great deal in fact, but she resists me." Niall frowns, "How is that possible?" Lucifer grins, "I have no bloody idea, but it's quite exciting."

Niall stands, "If you don't mind, I'd like to find a bed. Chalk it up to post-meal satiety." A tired smile crawls across Lucifer's face and he points toward his bed with the view of the city, "Of course, love. I seem to be out of guest accommodations, but you are welcome to sleep with me. I'll join you later." Niall drops a lingering touch on Lucifer's shoulder as he passes, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Maze stalks toward the elevator, "Goodnight, Lucifer." He winks at her, "Don't care to join us, Maze?" She smirks as the doors close, "he hogs the bed."

Lucifer chuckles and waves her goodnight as he walks over to his piano. He sits on the bench for a few minutes, enjoying the silence. His eyes are closed and he centers himself with slow, deep breaths. What, exactly, has happened in the past few days? Mom escaped Hell – not good. Reconnected with Niall – good. Chloe actually accepting (however unhappily) who he is - jury still out.

He sighs as his hands place themselves on the ivory and black keys of their own volition. Without much in the way of conscious thought, beautiful music is pulled from the instrument. Lucifer closes his eyes and plays.

For hours.

Later in the night, Niall is is awakened by screaming. His eyes pop open and he remembers he is in Lucifer's still-empty bed. He remains still, he listens then realizes someone nearby is having a nightmare. He sighs quietly, Just a matter of ignoring that, he thinks, then he recognizes the source. Chloe. Curious about this woman in his sire's life, he stretches out on the bed and closes his eyes, mentally reaching out to assess the situation.

 _This can't be right_ , he thinks as he watches an almost unending replay of his lord being shot and… _killed?_...by a mortal man. He sits up in bed, still 'watching' and hears music in the living area. He rises from the bed and pads quietly to where Lucifer sits, eyes closed as he makes love to the piano. Niall sits on the bench next to his sire and savors the music.

Lucifer opens his eyes and his eyebrows raise in a silent question. "Ms. Decker is sleeping poorly," Niall reports.

Lucifer nods and continues to play, "Not surprising. She certainly has every reason. See anything interesting?" Niall looks sharply at his master. "As a matter of fact, yes," he replies. "Is seems you keep dying and returning to life. The same way, over and over. It's also very specific. Usually, this kind of playback means someone was witness to an event. In this case, however, what she's envisioning is not possible, but she's clearly very concerned about it. The amount of detail is impressive."

Lucifer looks down at his hands and swears softly. "Sire?" Niall asks. Lucifer shoots him a sideways glance, "It's true."

Niall turns to fully face Lucifer, his tail swishing back and forth, "I beg your pardon, my lord, but are you saying you were _killed_ by a _mortal_ with a gun?" Lucifer nods, "That's exactly what I'm saying." He looks pained, "Chloe and her offspring were present as well. Long, sordid story. The bottom line is we all survived; well, except the human stain who started the whole mess. So that's good." Niall cocks his head, "How...?" Lucifer shakes his head, "I don't know, exactly. Something about the detective makes me vulnerable. I'm fine when she's not nearby."

"So, you really died?" He continues as Lucifer nods. "How did you come back?"

A wry grin appears on Niall's face, "So, my lord is risen?"

Lucifer chuckles softly, "Indeed." He stands and heads to the bar, "it seems my dear detective is still struggling with my death – however temporary it was." Niall nods as he stands as well, "I can help her if you wish." Lucifer arches a brow as he pours himself a glass of water, "How?"

The demon looks at him and shrugs, "I have some experience with this sort of thing. I go in, figure out what they need in the moment and help them sort it through. Then I get out. She'll never know I was there."

Lucifer sips his water as he considers the suggestion. "She'd kill me again herself if she knew – I'm not even kidding about that." He puts his hand to his head in the shape of a gun, "Bang. No more Devil."

Niall nods, "I understand." The demon starts toward the guest room then turns back, "Do you want a peek?" Lucifer frowns, "Father, no. Going through it once was enough; no need to witness it as well. Besides, I have no talent for that." Niall shrugs, "You don't have to. I hold her hand and you hold mine. Easy."

Lucifer shakes his head, "No. Her thoughts are her own. In fact, you are ordered to not tell me anything she doesn't want me to know." Niall bows, "Of course."

The demon pads down the hall to the guest room and silently opens the door to the dark room. He sees Chloe wrapped up in the blankets, eyes darting behind her eyelids and lips moving soundlessly. His own recent experiences have shown him what a hard time mortals can have when they are exposed to beings both divine and demonic. _Poor thing_ , he thinks as he kneels beside the bed. He reaches carefully for her hand and she starts to rouse as he slips carefully into her subconscious.

Niall notices her hands aren't soft and manicured like most of the women he's met. He notices callouses and some small scars on her knuckles which tell the tale of a woman who has worked hard in her life. Her clean, short nails and lack of make-up speak to her practicality. Definitely not his lord's typical conquest. " _Sssshhhhhh..."_ he soothes, and she sinks deeper into sleep.

Niall stops to take stock as soon as he slips into her dream, looking around to get a sense of his location. It looks like a small hangar, brightly lit in contrast to the night sky he sees outside the windows. He prowls the outer wall and watches yet another replay of the scenario, trying to figure out how he can affect the proceedings in the most sympathetic way possible.

With clinical detachment, he watches his sire get shot, die and revive. The meatbag with the mustache dies on the floor of the hangar then Chloe, the child and his sire are reunited. Lucifer declines participation in a group hug then they all eventually go their separate ways.

He watches again. _There it is._ He follows the emotional thread connected to her thought pattern after that moment. _This hurt. She needed to touch him. Hold him. To reassure herself that this man she's grown…what is this?_ Niall pauses a moment. _Interesting._ She is genuinely fond of Lucifer.

He looks more closely, trying to locate the usual sinful thoughts people attach to his sire – lust, greed, envy, wrath and gluttony – and sees nothing he's used to working with. Instead, he finds some rather virtuous feelings – curiosity, courage, honesty, respect and…benevolence? _My lord, what have you been doing with your time here?_ He wonders. Realizing time is growing short, Niall turns his attention to her memory.

He watches one more replay of the nightmare, _damn, these humans can make themselves sick the way they hold onto things like this._ This time, however, Lucifer takes a cautious step toward Chloe and the child, and they pull him into their embrace. The child is clutching his legs, burying her tear-streaked face in his thigh, and Chloe's face is turned into his shoulder, her own shoulders shaking as she cries. With one hand, Lucifer holds the child and the other arm wraps tightly around the woman, his face buried in her hair. They stand together for several minutes as they all come to grips with the fact that they are each alive and seemingly unharmed. _It's going to be okay,_ Niall suggests to the scene.

He notices that while she lay sleeping, Chloe takes a single shuddering breath then relaxes as a single tear trickles from the corner of her eye. Her breathing returns to normal and the lines on her face relax. She is still. He stays long enough for the dream to play again, pleased to see her psyche accepted the small change. _My work here is done,_ he thinks, then slowly eases out. He carefully releases her hand then silently exits the room.

Lucifer is still playing, concern writ across his face. "Well?" Niall nods, "It's done." Lucifer cocks his head, "What, exactly, is done? Anything I need to know about? You give her a lovely dream of us shagging instead?"

Niall shakes his head, "I didn't think you would want me to do that." Lucifer laughs softly, "No. I don't. When we finally do – and we will, make no mistake – I want to actually participate. But I digress – what did you do?"

The demon shoots Lucifer a questioning look, "May I show you?" Lucifer pauses then nods, "Alright." Niall closes his eyes and takes Lucifer's hand. "It's easier this way," then he sends the dream to Lucifer. When he opens his eyes again, he is struck by the sadness in his sire's face. Lucifer coughs softly and looks away, "Yes, well. Thank you, Niall." He rises from the piano bench, "If you don't mind, I think I'd like a moment." Niall bows his head slightly, "of course, my lord. I'll turn in." Lucifer pats him on the shoulder as he walks slowly out onto the balcony.

Chloe wakes slowly, the room still dark. It takes a moment for her to get her bearings as she slowly creeps toward consciousness. She stretches, languishing in the comfort of the bed. Of course, even Lucifer's guest bed is nicer than any hotel she's ever stayed in. She snuggles in and proceeds to stare at the ceiling. _It's all true_ , she thinks. _Lucifer is The Devil and he died._ For her and Trixie. _And…he's not dead any more._ She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. _Angels and demons are real. All that stuff is real. Damn._ But…it's…just Lucifer. Weird, smart-ass, juvenile Lucifer. And he had…wings. Commands the legions of Hell. _The same guy that loves cool ranch puffs and pouts like a 5-year old about being bored._ She smiles in spite of herself as she climbs out of bed feeling better than she has in a few days.

She hears music from the piano and her smiles grows wider. Lucifer looks up and continues to play as he watches her approach. His expression is cautious but interested. "Good morning, Detective. You're up rather early. Are you sleeping alright?"

She smiles, "Actually, yeah. That's the best I've slept in a while." He gives a small smile as he continues to play, "Lovely."

Chloe sits on the bench next to Lucifer, casually bumping his shoulder, "I'm sorry I lost it earlier." He adopts an expression of mock offense, "I was quite put out, you know. All of this tiresome need you mortals seem to have to understand what you're going through." He sighs heavily and looks away. "I truly don't know how you endure it."

She shakes her head, a grin affixed to her face, "I know, right? Weird." She closes her eyes as she listens to him play, swaying softly. "So, were you…um...created…knowing how to play?" He shakes his head, "Of course not. Pianos weren't invented until many a millennia after," he responds. "Oh, then how did you learn to play this instrument created by us lowly mortals?" she asks. He grins, "Liberace taught me, of course."

Her eyes pop open. "Liberace. Taught you to play piano?" she asks incredulously. He nods, "Of course. He was unpleasant enough to warrant being sent to Hell, but he wasn't especially bad, so I decided to make the best of it. He was added to the recycling program. As part of that, he was tasked with working as a piano teacher."

Chloe blinks, "Recycling program?" "Why, yes, of course. Not everyone needs to remain in Hell, Detective. Some souls are just a touch too spotted up to get through The Gates, so they come to Hell for a sort of community service, if you will. Once they work off their debt, they are returned topside. You humans will see Liberace again in a few hundred years. He won't recall anything, of course, and he'll be someone different, but it will be him working on his second chance."

She looks at him, "Like reincarnation?" He smiles brightly, "Precisely!" Chloe is quiet for a long moment as she listens to Lucifer play. "What now?" she asks softly as she turns to look at him. He stops playing and turns to look back at her then carefully takes her hand. "I would have you safe, Chloe. Whether that means Niall shows you how to protect yourself or whether he strips all memory of you out of my head, I will leave that decision to you."

Tears well in her eyes, "I don't like these choices. Isn't there _some_ thing..." He's already shaking his head. "I promise you, if there were another way, we would be discussing it. She reads minds like books - mine included. If she sees you in here," he taps his head, "she will come for you. The choices are either for you to not _be_ in my mind or for you to have some proficiency in protecting yourself." His face and his tone are surprisingly neutral and Chloe feels a tear trickle from the corner of her eye, "What should I do?"

Lucifer tears his black gaze away and looks down to where they are lightly holding hands, "I will not influence your free will," he says carefully. "I know what _I_ want, but this is _your_ choice to make." She frowns, "Even if _I_ choose for someone to go screw around with things in _your_ mind?" He nods, "Yes."

"Why would you give me this power?" she whispers. He raises his eyes back to stare into hers for a long moment and she doesn't look away. Lucifer's expression is unreadable but he gives her hand a light squeeze. "Because we are... _friends_."


	4. It's Always Something

Chloe takes a deep, shaky breath and stands up. She walks over to the bar, pours herself a drink then tosses it back. She returns to stand in front of Lucifer and gives a sharp nod, "Okay. Fine. Niall can train me on one condition." He remains silent but his eyebrows raise in curiosity. "Maze also trains me to take care of myself against...whatever's coming."

Lucifer exhales and claps his hands together happily as he stands. "Your wish is my command, my dear. We should start as soon as possible." He looks out the window to see dawn's fingers reaching into the sky. "I don't know how much time we have."

She nods, "I need to go home first, to shower and change, and..." Lucifer cocks his head, a surprisingly understanding expression on his face, "And you need some space, I'd warrant." Chloe blushes and shrugs, "Now that you mention it..."

He makes a shooing motion, "Off you pop, then. Ring me up when you're on your way back." She grabs her purse and keys off the bar then moves to stand in front of Lucifer. She puts her hand on his arm and gives it a gentle squeeze, "Thanks for understanding. I'll be back a little later."

Lucifer smiles as he takes her hand off his arm and raises it to his lips, "I look forward to it, Detective," He purrs. He closes his eyes as he kisses her knuckles and her heart jumps as she watches his lashes brush his cheek. _Sinful how beautiful he is. God help me_. Blushing, she heads for the elevator then exits the building.

Once the doors close, Lucifer sighs heavily and rubs a hand over his face, He stands and rolls his shoulders to alleviate an unfamiliar tension that has settled there. _Seems I need a spot of rest._ He slowly opens the buttons on his shirt as he strolls over to the bed where Niall is sleeping. _Maze was right, he really IS a bed hog_ , he thinks with an affectionate grin. He finishes stripping down then climbs under the blankets. Niall slides over without waking up and sighs as Lucifer presses close, draping his arm across the demon's back. Exhaustion finally catches him and he drops into a deep sleep.

Almost immediately, it seems he's returned to Hell. _This isn't right_ , his dream self thinks as he walks the corridors. _I'm obviously asleep._ Lucifer continues to walk the familiar passageways and begins to hear the sound of feminine laughter. At first, it falls as lightly as the ashen snow he brushes from his shoulders. A sing-song of chimes, sluicing down a waterfall. _Mother, is that you?_ The farther he walks, the louder and more discordant it becomes. Ominous. Carnivorous. Until it becomes the only thing he can focus on.

Lucifer begins walking more quickly in an attempt to return to where the laughter was not so overwhelming, but he meets with no success. In fact, it only gets worse. He finds himself running, breathlessly, looking for an escape. The laughter is inescapable. His hands cover his ears - to no avail.

 _Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it..._

"Sire?" he hears a soft inquiry under the laughter. The voice is familiar but he can't focus past the laughter. "My lord!" the voice is more insistent now.

Lucifer casts about for the source, anxious for anything that is not the shrieking laughter permeating his skull. He turns a corner and his hand is grabbed by a much larger being. He looks up to see Niall. Lucifer opens his mouth to say something but finds his voice isn't working, so he simply shakes his head. Niall nods, tightens his grip on his sire's hand and yanks him forward. Lucifer finds himself pulled hard up against the demon's chest and Niall's massive arms wrapped round his body. "Apologies, sire," he says quickly before kissing Lucifer hard on the mouth.

Lucifer sits up fast on his bed, his skull colliding with Niall, who didn't sit back quickly enough. He stands quickly and stares at the bed as if it's on fire. "Bloody Hell!" He exclaims.

Niall gestures toward Lucifer's head, " _That_ is the nightmare I mentioned, sire. Are you alright? How do you feel?"

Lucifer glares at the demon, "What in Hell do you mean 'how do I feel?' I'm pissed off, is how I feel!" Niall's look grows more pointed and his tail twitches in frustration, "And?" "What do you mean 'and?'," Lucifer growls.

"Aside from angry, sire. Is there...anything else?" Lucifer paces and turns his attention inward to assess his state. "Well, I'm bloody exhausted. I feel _violated_ , of all things. The idea of it, I mean...really!" He shakes his head in disbelief as he continues his internal examination. "I'm hungry, "he points at Niall, "and if you suggest we hit the window at Zany Wings, I'll give Maze your bollocks."

Niall tries not to laugh at Lucifer's obvious discomfort, "Anything else, sire?" The Devil shrugs, "Aside from in the mood for a good shag, which is status quo, I don't think so, why?" Niall shrugs, "I had this same dream. You woke me up thrashing around in your sleep."

Lucifer looks mildly offended, "I do not _thrash_." Niall smirks, "Sure. Whatever it was you were doing, you woke me up. I couldn't wake you from out here, so I went in and here we are."

"Damn," Lucifer mutters. "I think I know what, or perhaps I should say whom, it is." He looks at Niall, "When did your dreams start?" Niall thinks a long moment. "A few weeks ago." Lucifer nods, "That makes sense." A quizzical look prompts him to elaborate. "The scene the Detective kept dreaming of happened around the same time. It was then I discovered my mother has also taken her leave of Hell."

Somehow, Niall's face becomes even more pale. "I have heard stories, sire." He looks nervously at the grand expanse of windows in Lucifer's apartment. "You...we...are not safe here. We need to get you out of here." Lucifer nods, "We will. This is why I want you to help the Detective. She agreed, by the way."

Niall's eyebrows go up, "Oh? May I ask specifically, then, what she is to you, sire? It's important."

Lucifer paces, ignoring his undressed state as he ponders the question at hand. Indeed, it's The Question at hand since he first discovered her immunity to his charm. "I don't know, honestly. I mean, she's beautiful, of course. She values justice. And quick-witted, for all it took her for bloody ever to believe I'm exactly who I claim to be. Even now that she knows," he looks up and his face conveys a sort of confused wonder, "She trusts me."

Niall gets out of bed and walks to the bar, still nude. He claps Lucifer on the shoulder with a soft laugh. "You've got it bad, my lord. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. It also makes my job a bit more difficult, but I can work with it."

Lucifer scowls, "What are you on about?" "Love, sire," Niall's grin splits his face and his eyes sparkle happily. "You're in love with her." Lucifer's eyes widen slightly in surprise, then narrow, "I most certainly am not. The Devil doesn't _do_ love."

He laughs and steps closer, "No? Really?" He reaches out to run his fingers through Lucifer's hair, "I beg to differ, my lord." He leans forward and sends a warm breath across his sire's ear, taking satisfaction at the small shiver that results. "I believe that of all your father's children, your capacity for such a thing is, by far, the greatest. It is your strength." He presses a kiss to Lucifer's cheek before stepping back. "It is your capacity for compassion and your sense of justice which make you the most dangerous to..." Niall's eyes flit to the sky and he turns his back without finishing the sentence. His sire is momentarily speechless.

The demon walks toward the bar and Lucifer can't help but admire his work. He moves to stand beside Niall, reaching down to carefully stroke the demon's tail. Niall braces himself against the bar and turns his head, sighing happily.

Lucifer continues to pet Niall's tail as he looks the taller man over, taking pleasure in his reaction. "You've been taking better care of yourself than the last time I saw you." Lucifer slides his other hand up the demon's back and plays with the curls at the nape of his neck. As he runs his fingers through Niall's ebony hair, he notices a mark on his neck. He releases the tail, ignoring Niall's groan of disappointment and parts the hair for a better look. "Darling, what is this?" he asks.

"Oh, Dae - my lover - gave me a tattoo," Niall replies. Lucifer tiptoes for a closer look, "What in my name would possess you to do that?" he asks. Niall tries to turn his head but Lucifer isn't finished examining his neck. "She said it would...protect her somehow. Make it so we could...be together without her coming to harm."

"How would a human know about such things?" Lucifer asks half to himself. "On your knees, if you will." Niall obeys and Lucifer is able to get a better look at the mark. It's a circle of interwoven knots, roughly the size of a human female's palm, drawn in red ink. "Did it seem to work?" he asks. The demon shrugs, "I think so," he replies. Lucifer frowns then swipes his thumb over it. Niall yelps in surprise and drops forward onto his hands. "What did you do?" he hisses.

Lucifer pulls his hands off Niall and stands. "Where did she get the blood?" Niall looks confused, "What do you mean?" "That thing on your neck, my dear, is a blood rune. Whose blood did she use to draw it?"

Niall stands and rubs his neck self-consciously, "Um...hers, I think. Why?" Lucifer pours drinks and hands one over. "I hope you care a great deal for this young lady, darling," he sips his scotch. "Because you are bound to her for as long as she lives."

"Excuse me?" Niall asks in shock. "Humans lost that ability ages ago. Once the druids were cast out. How is this possible?"

Lucifer shrugs, "I don't know, but your young lady seems to have resurrected a dead art." he sips his drink. "Where is she?" Niall looks toward the cityscape out the window, "On the other side of town. She's a tattoo artist." Lucifer's eyes scan Niall, "I may have something to fit you. Let's go." The demon looks surprised, "Sorry, sire?"

"Your lady friend. We're going to see her. Now." He continues to talk as he walks to his closet. "I need to know exactly what she did with that bit of work on your neck. Come on. Chop-chop."

Meanwhile, the phone rings in a cottage on the beach. "Decker," Chloe answers. "Detective," an unfamiliar male voice speaks into the phone, "something's happened to two people you've had incarcerated recently. Can you come down to the station? We need your input on the situation." Her eyes widen in surprise. _Lucifer's...victims._ "Yeah," she replies. "On my way in five minutes."


	5. Chelsea Dagger

Maze enters Lucifer's apartment to find him and Niall putting on jackets. She smirks, "You two look like the Men in Black." Niall laughs as the spaded end of his tail flicks happily, "I love that movie!"

She walks farther into the room, "Where are you going?" "To retrieve Niall's young lady," Lucifer replies as he adjusts his cuff. "She seems to have a skill set we may find useful. And speaking of, Maze, where is my brother off to, hmm? Has he quit the field before the fun begins?"

Maze shrugs, "He said something about getting help, then he took off." Lucifer scratches absently at his shoulder, "He didn't say what form that 'help' may come in, did he? I imagine we have different definitions." She shrugs, "No, he didn't. "

Niall steps forward, "You should come with us. There's a weapons shop nearby that carries silver blades." Maze half-smiles, "Really? This might finally be getting interesting." Lucifer nods, "Brilliant idea." He looks at Maze, "I promised the detective you would train her to not get killed. We can pick up something for her as well."

She shoots him an angry look, "You, _what_? Are you serious?" His expression reveals he is, indeed, quite serious. "Come on, it'll be fun."

"Training your _pet_ is not my idea of fun, Lucifer," Maze grumbles. He steps closer, his eyes beginning to glow. "That is not a request. I don't truly care if you _like_ it - but you _will_ do it."

Maze fairly growls at him as she grabs her keys, "Fine. I'll drive."

Chloe arrives home in something of a daze. She drops her purse on the floor, grabs a bottle of water from the refrigerator then plops onto the couch. "Holy shit, he really IS The Devil." She takes a swallow of water and shakes her head, as if that will help the idea absorb into her brain. "What do I _do_?"

She looks around and takes a deep breath. "Maybe what I do is what I've already been doing. Nothing needs to change." He is definitely not evil. Immature...although I'm not sure how that's even possible when you are literally older than time, but, whatever...impatient, impulsive and short-tempered, but he can be kind, gentle, courageous, and generous.

Her breath catches as she consciously recognizes he was an actual angel once. The Angel, really. Then rejected by his father for a reason he still doesn't understand. Her maternal nature sends a shot of anger through her. In her line of work, she's seen enough abandoned kids and what happens to them to understand the damage done by such cruelty. The very thought of something similar happening to Lucifer kicks her anger up to something approaching rage. She scowls at her ceiling in disgust. "I know there are two sides to every story, but you've had plenty of time to explain your 'plan' so your son doesn't literally spend eternity believing his father hates him."

Frustrated, she kicks off her shoes and stomps up the stairs for a much needed shower. The hot water goes a long way to soothing her nerves and she feels like a new woman as she throws workout gear into a bag.

 _I wonder if I need special bullets?_ She wonders as she heads downstairs. She grabs her phone and sends a quick text to Lucifer. Before she put it down, the phone rings. Caller ID shows it's her Lieutenant. "Ma'am," she answers. The other woman doesn't waste time, "Decker, two of your cases just went to Hell. Jimmy Barnes and Lindsay Jolson both lost their shit while in psychiatric custody. They're on lock-down, but you need to get over there."

Chloe frowns, "I'm no doctor, what do they need me for?" "Because they are both screaming for that partner of yours," comes the reply. "Get moving," she orders then disconnects the call.

The phone buzzes Lucifer's reply to her earlier message, "Silver is good. Maze also recommends explosive rounds." _Explosive rounds?_ She looks at the nine millimeter in her holster and decides she may want something with a bit more punch, so she walks into the pantry and pulls a heavy box from the top shelf. Using the small key on her ring, she opens the gun safe and removes the .357 and its holster. She replaces the box then grabs another, this one full of rounds. The detective stuffs the ammunition into her gym bag then sends off another message, "On my way back. Need to grab you and go. Something came up that we need to take care of."

She grabs the bag and purse, locks the door and is on her way to the car when he calls back, "Are you sexting, me, Detective?" she swears she can hear him smiling and rolls her eyes. "Um, no. I am definitely NOT sexting you, Lucifer. I need to come get you." He makes a small sound of disappointment, "Pity. But as delightful as the notion of you _grabbing_ me is, darling, I'm afraid I'm unavailable. Maze, Niall and I are en route to pick someone up. If you care to meet us, Niall can send the address."

Chloe gets in the car and starts the engine, "Sure, send it. Who are you picking up?" "A young lady friend of Niall's," he replies. "She may prove useful." _Great, more freaks_ , she thinks. "Okay, I'll meet you there." Almost as soon as they disconnect, a text comes from Lucifer's phone. She can't help but chuckle, _The Devil has me on speed dial_. She puts the address in her GPS and checks the area. It's a rough neighborhood, not far from where Los Diablos hang out.

 _Of course a demon has a "friend" over there_ , she thinks as she drives. _Wonder what her shtick is. Demon with hooves? Giant bat wings?_ She chooses a route which takes her past a local gun shop that carries specialty items. She doesn't go in much, but they know her to be an expert marksman. They were a bit condescending at first, until she tested out the .357 on their private range before she bought it. Now, they greet her like family. Dan always had his shorts in a bunch over how much better she was with guns. Probably because she treats them with respect instead of like an extension of her anatomy.

She walks in and is greeted warmly. She asks for standard ammo but then becomes uncertain about how to ask for what she needs. _Not like I can say "I may need to shoot Satan's mother and a few demons while I'm at it."_ She plays it close to the vest and simply asks for armor piercing and explosive rounds, as well as concussion grenades. To his credit, the giant bear of a man behind the counter doesn't ask what a little slip of a girl needs with such firepower. She cringes when she sees the total. _I'll give Lucifer the bill. It's his mother, after all_. After loading everything into her trunk, she drives to meet the rest of the group.

Niall sits crammed into the front seat of Maze's sedan. "Duck your head so your horns don't rip to ceiling," she grumbles. "I'm trying!" he answers. Lucifer, for his part, isn't faring much better. Six feet three inches of Lord of Hell is stuffed into the back seat, "Why did I let you drive, exactly?" he pouts. She flashes a smile at him in the rear-view mirror, "Because your car only has two seats!"

"You're enjoying this, aren't you, Maze?" Her wide grin is enough of an answer. "Well, once this is over, you're getting a minivan," he promises. She narrows her eyes, "You wouldn't!" Lucifer smirks and looks out the window. "Niall, are we close? I fear we shall lose all feeling in our legs if we must endure these conditions much longer."

In spite of his discomfort, Niall laughs, "Maze, take the next right then find a parking spot." The vehicle rolls to a stop and the occupants squeeze themselves out. Maze looks at the sky, "It's mid-morning. Where do we find this friend of yours?" Niall stretches as he looks around. "She's probably in her loft. Dae works at night." Maze smirks, "Oh the irony."

Lucifer looks around, also stretching. "The detective will be here soon. We should wait for her." Maze rolls her eyes and leans against her car with an impatient huff.

The wait isn't long and Chloe rolls up in her cruiser. She approaches Lucifer, "What's going on?" He gestures to Niall, "It seems his lover has a gift of runecraft." Chloe's brows furrow in confusion, "What are runes?" "They are symbols which have a specific purpose," he replies. "Some of them are quite powerful, actually, but the art died out ages ago."

"If they were powerful, why did people stop using them?" Chloe asks. "That doesn't make sense." Lucifer shrugs in way she has learned means he had his hand in somebody's cookie jar. He looks down at her, "Perhaps they...lost them." Her eyes narrow, "Lost them. You mean you took them. Why?"

He looks down at her, "They were doing terrible things with them, Detective. Summoning creatures and forcing them to commit horrible acts. But that's not when I intervened. That came after they learned to put these runes on their fellow humans." He sighs and looks at his feet. "It was the last favor I did for Father." She's afraid to ask, but she does it anyway, "What did you get in return?"

Lucifer turns his head to look at Niall and Maze, "He let them live," he replies quietly.

She watches as his gaze lingers on his... _children_? He has never called them such, and they've certainly never called him their father. But he does what he can to assure their survival and they clearly obey him when it comes down to brass tacks. Something to talk about another time.

Chloe nods silently then gestures toward Niall, "Okay. So, where is this girlfriend? Can I ask _what_ she is?" Lucifer laughs as he looks down at her, "Well she's human, of course, Detective. Whatever else would she be?" She blinks, "She's not a demon or whatever else might be walking around?" He waves her off, "Of course not. I told you, it's only Niall and Maze that came topside. Let's go find her."

The four of them take up the sidewalk as they walk down the street. Niall leads the way to an industrial building then stops. "Let me warn her that...you...are all here with me. She's not the most social person and may need a moment to prepare for visitors.." Maze snickers at him, "Take down her wards, you mean." He shrugs and nods, "Yeah. That, too. Give me a minute, okay?" Lucifer raises his hands and takes a step back to indicate his willingness to be patient and Niall gives a slight bow in appreciation, "Thank you, sire."

The demon walks toward the door and silently reaches out, " _Dae. Are you here?_ " No reply comes from the building in front of him, so he waits a minute before calling again. " _Dae? Please. It's Niall._ " He begins to pace, with his hands behind his back, while his tail twitches nervously.

" _You're not alone,_ " comes a silent, flat reply. " _Who's with you?_ "

Niall glances at Lucifer and Maze, " _My sibling, my sire and his...police officer_ ," he explains. " _Please, love_ ," he begs, " _Let us in. We..._ _ **I**_ _...need your help._ " He ducks his head as he continues to pace.

There is a long silence before she answers. " _Your...sire. Is here? The Devil, you mean?_ " He nods, even though she can't see it. " _Yes. Lucifer is here. He means you no harm._ " Niall can almost feel her panic, " _Why did you bring him here? I thought you...we..._ "

He interrupts, " _This isn't about us. He doesn't care about that. You can HELP us, Dae. Your craft..._ "

" _Help you against what?_ " she asks.

" _Someone escaped Hell,_ " he replies. " _Someone really awful. My lord is interested in the rune you placed on me and we wonder if this...art is something that may be helpful. More information than that will need to come from him._ "

The man in question looks at Niall with an obvious "Well?" expression. The demon raises his hand, index finger extended, "Another minute." He looks at the building again, " _Dae? Can we come in?_ " He hears a mental sigh, " _I knew this would happen at some point. Just..._ " " _I know, love. It will be okay. I promise_ ," he reassures her. " _Alright. Come up._ " He sighs in relief, " _Thank you._ "

Niall approaches Lucifer, "A word?" The smaller man shrugs, "Of course. What is it?" The demon grimaces, "You will want to touch her. Don't." Lucifer's eyebrows go up and he laughs, "I'm not here to shag your girlfriend, darling. You've nothing to fear on that note."

Niall shakes his head, "That's not what I mean. She has runes all over her body. Being able to physically touch her is a process. I'm saying you shouldn't accidentally brush against her, put your hand on her shoulder, shake her hand...nothing." He nods toward Chloe, "especially if you can be injured when she's around."

Lucifer narrows his eyes, "Fascinating." He smirks, "Well, I'm sure sex with the young lady must be quite exciting."

Niall's tail twitches, "I'd rather not talk about it if you don't mind, my lord." Lucifer laughs, "Alright. Fine. But you're taking away my fun."

"I'll make it up to you," Niall flashes a shy grin, "And...I hope you like her." Lucifer laughs and lightly slaps Niall's back, "I'm sure she's delightful." He calls over to his other creation, "Maze, don't touch the young lady, alright? Seems she's walking booby trap!"

Lucifer, Chloe, Niall and Maze enter the elevator and go to the top floor. Niall exits first and instructs the rest of them to also exit, but to stay in the entry area for a moment. He looks down at the floor and along the walls that lead into the main loft space then moves slowly forward, his tail held in a position which contributes to his cautious posture. "Dae?" he calls into the space.


	6. Tell Me What You're Here For

A very petite woman briefly comes into view and Niall pulls her into his arms, engulfing her for a long moment. He buries his face in her neck and sighs as he picks her up, "I've missed you." She says something quietly that the others can't hear, but there's no mistaking the happy swish of his tail in response. Niall finally releases her then turns to make introductions.

Dae's head barely reaches Niall's shoulder. A thick, waist-length, snow-white braid is loosely pulled over one shoulder and intricate white markings can easily be seen against her ebony skin, covering her body and reaching up to lick at her jawline. Some of the markings bear a metallic glint. Her cut-off sweats hang well below her small waist to rest on generous hips and a cropped white t-shirt highlights her ample breasts. Lucifer can't help the smile that crosses his face. _Well done, Niall. Lucifer likes._

Dae nods greetings to Maze and Chloe then leans back and crosses her arms, flicking her eyes over Lucifer to get his measure. _Lavender? Lovely, that._ Finally, she raises her eyes to look Lucifer squarely in the face and arches a snowy brow. "What do you want, Mr. Morningstar?" she asks. Her voice is low and carries rich accent he can't place just yet.

 _You, darling_ , he thinks. _In all sorts of delicious ways._ Without realizing it, Lucifer steps forward and extends his hand to touch her shoulder. She narrows her eyes and steps back while Niall moves between them. "Sire?"

"What? Oh, right, sorry," he says as he steps back. Lucifer slides his hands into his pockets and gives a small bow of greeting, "Well, my dear, what I want is to know why you placed your mark on my creation. And how you did it, of course. I also want to know if you understand the gravity of what you've done."

She blinks at him without saying a word but her posture remains defensive. Lucifer nods his head to one side and gives a slight wave of his hand, "And I want to know if perhaps your skill with these runes may be of service to us, if you are willing, of course."

Dae stands a little straighter and places her hands on her hips. Silently, she reaches out to Niall, " _THIS is your dad? This is THE Lord of Hell?_ "

Niall chuckles silently, " _Yeah. He's not a bad guy, and actually a bit more...interesting than advertised. Don't look him in the eye, though._ "

" _No? Why not?_ " she asks.

More chuckling in her head, " _Because you'll end up bedding him and never want me again. I mean, LOOK at him. He's literally a God-damned archangel._ "

" _Nothing to worry about there, love,"_ she replies. " _I'm quite happy with the bit of tail I've got right now, thanks._ " Niall coughs aloud to cover his amused chuckle, "Excuse me."

She smirks but eyes never leave Lucifer's face, "You know 'why' I did it - so we can be safe with each other."

Lucifer is intrigued, "Safe with _each other_? Do you mean to say he may be in some peril? From you?" She flashes a small grin then steps close, invading his personal space. Lucifer can't help but lean in as well. His darkening eyes look down into hers and her grin takes on a more seductive tone as she thinks to herself, _Oh Heaven, Niall was right. Those eyes could be the death of me._

She forces herself to concentrate, "Look at me, Mr. Morningstar." The husky tone of her voice compels him to do just that, and he watches as she runs a finger delicately along an intricate line on her well-toned arm, "They. Go. _Everywhere_." She purrs. He swallows heavily as she continues with a small flash of teeth. "You want to touch them, don't you?" He grins, "Mmm...Indeed I do."

Silently, Niall tries to warn Lucifer, " _Don't do it, sire._ " " _Just having a spot of fun, chap. Nothing to fret about_ ," comes the reply. Niall rolls his eyes then shakes his head. " _Maze_ ," he reaches out, " _whatever happens, leave Dae alone. He's been warned. Repeatedly._ " The answering chuckle is only slightly reassuring, " _This should be interesting_."

Dae moves back from Lucifer just an inch and he arches a brow in silent question. Her smile grows larger, "Go ahead, then. Touch me." Lucifer leans back and lets his eyes trace the lines while he decides where he wants to start. His gaze moves slower the lower it goes. _I do love a good pair of legs_ , he muses, _And those are very good_. He glances back at her face with an arched brow, an unspoken 'May I?" She brings her foot up so it's resting on a chair, granting him easier access, "Be my guest," she smiles indulgently.

Lucifer reaches down to gently clasp her ankle, then gently moves his hand up her calf while she focuses on breathing normally. Reducing his touch to two fingers, he traces a particularly detailed, swirling rune of white with a sort of metallic sheen. Her skin grows quite warm under his touch and he purrs happily, "You're hot, darling. Quite delightful, really." Her grin grows more sharp, "Thank you, Mr. Morningstar." He chuckles as he focuses his attention on his fingers as they trace more lines around her lower leg. "Did you do these yourself?" She nods an affirmative. With every moment he remains in contact with her, the heat becomes more uncomfortable, "This actually stings a bit, now. Does it hurt you as well?" he inquires. "It does not," she answers. "The idea is to protect me. I can control it when I'm awake, so if someone means me harm, it would do more than 'sting a bit'. Tell me, Mr. Morningstar, do you wish to hurt me?" she asks as she looks at him through long, black lashes.

His dark eyes gaze back into hers and he gives her a predatory smile, "I believe, my dear, that is entirely up to you." As he watches, her eyes grow lighter, almost pale grey, and the temperature of her skin under his hand increases dramatically, until it is scalding hot. Given his proximity to Chloe at the moment, it hurts quite a bit and he yanks his hand away, "Bloody Hell!" he exclaims as he looks at his hand to see a couple of small blisters where he was touching her. Silently, he hears a chuckling, " _Told you so_ ," and he grimaces at Niall.

"You'll live," Dae smirks at him and steps away to continue where she left off. "You also ask if I understand what a big deal it is that I put the mark on Niall." She turns her head to give the demon in question a long look and her gaze softens with obvious affection. He returns her expression with a blushing smile and a happy swish of his tail. "Yes, Mr. Morningstar, I am aware we are bound until I no longer walk the Earth. I'd say he seems pleased with the arrangement."

She steps back and gestures for them all to follow her. "As for 'how' it works, I will tell you so you can determine if it would be useful in your cause or not."

Dae leads everyone into the loft. The space is neat, open and filled with diffused sunlight. Every surface, from the floor, to the walls, and even the furnishings appear to be natural materials such as wood, cotton or wool, and stone. The effect is very comfortable.

She gestures for them to sit while she remains standing. Once they are seated, she begins to speak. Her posture is akin to that of a teacher at school as she paces back and forth, "A rune operates as a channeling point for energy. Different patterns perform different functions. The location, even the material used to create it, can create a different effect." She shoots Lucifer an arch look as he squirms a bit to scratch his back, "Some runes are more permanent than others. The rune on Niall is unique and has a specific purpose."

Lucifer gestures between Dae and Niall, "Right. It's so you two can shag without getting you hurt." She half-nods, "Partly correct. It also stops me from killing him in my sleep."

"Does it have any other bits to it?" Lucifer asks. "Does it, I don't know, _hurt_ him at all or..." he glances quickly at Chloe, "...make him more vulnerable?" She shakes her head, "No, it _shouldn't_."

Lucifer springs to his feet in alarm, "It _shouldn't_? You mean you marked him, for the rest of your life, and you don't _know_?" The lilt which usually lends a musical quality to Lucifer's accent takes a decidedly sharp turn. She looks irritated, "Once I die, his mark will disappear."

"Sire," Niall interrupts. "This was my choice. I asked her to do it." Lucifer turns his scowl to the demon. "You didn't know you'd be _bound_. She manipulated you and I _will_ have an answer regarding her intentions," he growls, his eyes beginning to glow. "Perhaps we should retire that mark sooner rather than later."

Niall sees the air in front of Dae wobble a bit, like heat rising off pavement. He quickly gets up from his chair and places a staying hand on Lucifer's chest, "My lord. Let's talk about this another time, okay? This is not what we're here for."

"But, she..." Lucifer begins then Chloe puts a hand on his arm as well, "Lucifer, just let it go right now, okay? You can come back later and hash out whatever freaky thing these two have going on but for right now, we have bigger problems." He looks down at her and nods once, his eyes returning to normal, "Very well, Detective." He shoots a look at Niall as they seat themselves again, "We _will_ discuss this later."

Dae continues after a reassuring nod from Niall, "Where was I? Right. The runes can be placed on anything. They can be carved into wood, stone or metal; painted onto a surface or tattooed onto skin."

"What do you mean when you say they channel energy?" Chloe asks. "Do inanimate objects have energy, too?" Dae shrugs, "Some do, and some materials hold more energy than others. Metal carries a certain magnetism. Wood was once alive and carries a residual bit of its life force. It's why we humans are drawn to it in our homes." Intrigued, Chloe continues to indulge her curiosity, "And you said that the material you use to create the rune itself can make a difference?"

Dae nods, "Absolutely." She looks at Niall, "Blood is the most powerful, of course, because it contains the most life force. To make the rune Niall requested, I used my blood. That makes it specific to me." She glares at Lucifer, "I have a matching one, but I ground a few strands of his hair into the dye because we weren't sure what demonic blood would do if I came in contact with it."

She gestures to Chloe, "I could put runes on you and use iron in the ink for strength." The detective steps back and raises a hand, "I'm good, thanks. Not really into getting tattoos."

Dae flashes an understanding smile, "I could make it a henna tattoo so it isn't permanent. It's not as strong, but it can certainly help." She indicates some markings on her own body, "I use white henna for my markings. Partly because I'm not a fan of needles sticking me, but also so I can change them from time to time, as my needs dictate."

"You would be very useful," Maze declares. "Niall said there are weapons nearby. Can you put these runes on them?" Dae half-way nods, "I _can_ , but I'd need the blacksmith to help me. He's done it before, but it's not cheap." Lucifer waves his hand dismissively, "That's covered, no worries."

Dae narrows her eyes as she looks at him again, "Are we making A Deal, Mr. Morningstar?" He grins, "Perhaps, my dear. What would you like in exchange for helping with our dilemma, Hmmm?"

"I'm not sure, exactly," she counters. "You haven't told me who this fugitive is. I do like to make informed choices."

He nods, "Fair enough. It's...my mum. She's a bit of a troublemaker, you see. Probably a bit miffed with me at the moment, so she's likely to try to hurt those close to me. The plan is for Maze and Niall to train our lovely detective," he gestures at Chloe and Maze rolls her eyes, "on how to protect herself from mental and physical attacks. As they are my creations, I am interested in them surviving this fiasco as well. And myself, of course." He gives her a pointed look, "Haven't decided on you just yet."

Dae laughs as she turns then walks to the open kitchen area to pour a glass of water. While there, she asks if anyone is thirsty and Lucifer inquires whether she has anything stronger. She shakes her head, "No, Mr. Morningstar, I don't drink anything other than water. I find alcohol, especially, affects my energy in a negative way. I also don't typically eat animals or animal products." He rolls his eyes, "Oh, you're one of those insufferable _vee_ -gan people. Knew I couldn't trust you."

"Please. It's not from a moral standpoint," she reports. "Animals and animal products still contain a tremendous amount of life force." She gestures at her petite frame, "Look at me. I'm tiny. Taking in too much energy without having a good outlet really knocks me for a loop." She hold her hand up as if to pause the conversation, "However, if my reserves get low and I'm especially tired, a nice steak is wonderful."

Lucifer flashes a smile, "So, you want a steak after all this?" She shakes her head, "No. And if I did, I can buy myself a steak. We'll just call this one a freebie." His expression becomes alarmed, "Absolutely not. I refuse to be in your debt. Come on, there must be something."

Dae frowns at him, "There's nothing I want from you as payment for my services. You'll cover expenses, but that's it." She steps forward and points at him, "I've heard about your mother, Lucifer Morningstar." She points at Niall, "HE is in danger and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you stop me from helping because you want to play 'Let's Make a Deal'."

Lucifer smirks, "Oh, you will most assuredly be damned once this is all over with." Dae laughs heartily, the rich sound pealing from her tiny frame, "There's a long line of people waiting to damn me, Mr. Morningstar." She winks, "You'll just have to wait your turn."


	7. A Little Wicked

Lucifer rises slowly from his chair, a look of consternation on his face. He holds up his hand as a peaceful gesture and Dae allows him to approach. "Let's have a chat, shall we?" he asks as he gestures to a space in the loft away from the others. She shoots him a skeptical look, so he continues, "Just to talk, I promise." She nods and leads him away.

Chloe looks at Niall, "What's going on?" He shrugs, his brows furrowed in concern, "I don't know. She's not usually this..." "Bitchy?" Chloe finishes helpfully. He flashes an embarrassed grin, "Hate to say it, but, yeah."

Lucifer leans casually against a support beam and looks down the length of his nose, "Have we met? Before today, I mean?" She frowns, "No, why?"

He shrugs, "Well, I don't really meet many women who are hostile toward me, so I assumed I'd done something to offend you." His eyes travel over her and he grins, "I truly doubt I'd forget meeting _you_ , but wanted to make sure first." He looks her up and down and she feels herself grow warm under his gaze, "So, what's your story? Love the accent by the way. Care to speak in your native tongue?"

Dae is quiet for a long moment, _Niall needs me to get along with these...people. His...family. I can do this for him. Not for them._ She shrugs then begins speaking in Hausa. "Fine. My family is in Nigeria and I came here after my mother's death. She taught me many things, as did her mother, and her mother's mother. We are a long line with rich traditions." She shoots him a scathing look, "Some things were almost lost to us. Taken."

Dae arches a brow and extends her arms, calling his attention to the markings. "This is all that remains of the tradition you stole from us, _Shaidan_. We were left without protection and many died because _you are a thief_. Certainly you can appreciate the irony that you want me to use them to help you now."

Lucifer's face colors and he scrubs his hand over his face before glancing at Niall and Maze. " _Sire? Is everything okay?_ " Niall asks silently. Lucifer nods, " _No need to worry, darling. A minute, if you please?_ " The demon nods in response and turns his back to give them privacy.

Lucifer looks back down at Dae and exhales loudly, "Ah. A consequence, it seems, to my favor for Dear Old Dad." She huffs angrily and crosses her arms, "It was a favor. Of course it was." Her posture screams a demand for his apology and he chuckles while he adjusts a cufflink. "I'm not apologizing, if that's what you're after, my dear. Perhaps it's a disappointment that someone had to get caught up in the middle of it, but you seem to be no worse for the wear."

Dae drops her hands to her hips and snarls, "My. People. Died." He stands straight and looks down, clearly irritated, as his eyes begin to glow. Lucifer casts a sharp look at his creations then back to the petite, irate human in front of him, " _They_. Didn't," he hisses in response. He looks her up and down in disgust, "You can either use that pretty little mouth of yours to bitch and moan about the hardship and death of people you've never met or you can smile about the fact that you get to sleep with Niall. You don't get to do both."

He exhales loudly and takes a moment to calm down, allowing his eyes to return to normal, "Everyone is so willing to point out how my actions have consequences. Yes! I know! I bloody get that bit. Those same people," he glares at her, "conveniently forget that things really do happen for a reason. You may not be privy to what those reasons are, necessarily, but they still exist. You may like to consider that before you leap in with your uninformed judgments."

She blinks and steps back in shock. " _That_ was the deal you made?" Her eyes narrow in anger, but it's no longer directed at him. "Your...father made you barter for the lives of your children?" Lucifer sets his jaw as he glares down at her, "Great guy, right? This diety you worship," he spits the last word.

Dae shakes her head, "I do not worship your father."

"No?" he asks. "Even when things go sideways, you don't toss up some pretty words to the sky to ask for help? Come on, admit it."

She shrugs, "Seriously, no. Before I met Niall, I never believed in God or..."

"Me?" he finishes for her.

Dae's nods her head and a rueful smile crosses her face, "Yeah. You. Or any of that stuff."

He smiles sardonically and holds his arms out to his side, "Surprise!"

She looks down at her feet as she shuffles them for a moment. "I believe in balance, Mr. Morningstar." She looks up at his face, "You embody chaos. It's unsettling and I feel...itchy with you here." She pauses as she casts a long look at the seven-foot-tall demon on the other side of the room. "But, being with Niall means I need to figure out a way to be in the same room with you, at least sometimes."

Lucifer nods, "He is clearly taken with you, darling, and, honestly, I can see why." He grins, "Obviously, you're beautiful, but that's also a nice spine you've got there. Respect." He is rewarded with a laugh, "Thank you." He gives a slight bow, "Of course, my dear. Truce?" She reciprocates the bow, "Truce." He grins happily, "Marvelous," then offers his arm to walk back to the rest of the group.

Niall, Chloe and Maze watch the exchange from the other side of the room. Their voices become loud enough to hear at one point but Chloe can't understand what they are saying. Chloe blinks and looks at Niall, "What language is that?" "Hausa," he answers. "They speak it in Nigeria," he clarifies when he sees her confusion.

"That's random. How does Lucifer speak Hausa?" she replies. Niall gestures to Maze, "We speak everything." She frowns, "How is that even possible?" The demon shrugs, "Think about it for a second. We have to, right? We need to communicate with everyone that lands in Hell." He glances up at the ceiling, "Our counterparts in Heaven also speak every language."

Niall sees Lucifer's eyes glow for a moment and takes a step forward but Maze puts a hand on his chest to stop him, "Don't." He looks down at her, "But..." Maze shakes her head, "If you intend to...keep...this human, she has to deal with him." For Chloe's part, when Lucifer looms over Dae, eyes glowing, she has to stop her protective reflexes from grabbing her gun and shooting him. Again. All three of them breathe a sigh of relief once they see the pair on the other side of the room smiling.

Lucifer and Dae return to the group, looking more comfortable. He claps Niall on the back, "Well done. I may grow to like this one." He winks down at her, "After a bit." Niall looks down at Dae and she makes a dismissive gesture, "It's fine." " _We'll talk later,_ " she finishes silently.

Chloe looks around the group, "Okay, what's our next move?" Dae looks at Niall, who looks to Lucifer, who turns to Maze. "Well?" he asks. Maze gestures to Dae, "Show us where this weapons shop is. What we need will take some time to make."

Maze looks to Lucifer, "Call Amenadiel. I have an idea and since he's the only...go-between we have right now, he's the only one that can get what I want." Lucifer rolls his eyes then reaches to scratch his back, "Really? I have to ask his feathered, sanctimonious ass for help? I think I've got hives just thinking about it." He stops short at her glare, "Fine, Maze, what do you need?" "Ashes from Hell," she replies. He blinks, "Whatever for?"

Maze gestures toward Dae, "She can use it in her runes. Human weapons aren't going to do anything against what's coming, and the weapons we carried with us are the only things forged in Hell. We're not giving those up. So..."

Lucifer catches on and nods as he gestures enthusiastically, "Brilliant! I'll ring him up straightaway." He brings his hands together and closes his eyes. Chloe watches, fascinated, " _The Devil. Praying...?_ " To her eyes, Amenadiel appears out of thin air and she jumps back a step, startled.

Amenadiel shakes his head, clearly irritated, "Luci, what do you want now?" He looks around at the others gathered in the room and scowls darkly at Niall. "And what are YOU doing here?" Niall's tail twitches, "I'm here to help, Ami. Seems you're not strong enough to manage your own mess." Stretching to his full height, he smirks down at the dark angel, "My lord decided to call in the big guns."

Amenadiel opens his mouth to respond, but Lucifer steps between them, an amused grin on his face, "The more, the merrier, right, Amenadiel? Look, as much fun as all this chest-beating is, we need you to fetch something for us." Amenadiel scowls, "I am not your errand boy, Lucifer. Do it yourself." Maze interjects, "We need ashes from Hell and you're the only one that can get it for us."

Amenadiel looks down at his lover, "What do you need _that_ for?" Maze points at Dae, "She needs it, actually." He looks even farther down his nose at the diminutive human, "A human witch?" He looks at his brother, "Luci, are you starting a circus? Because this is beyond..."

Lucifer pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes, "Not now, brother. We don't know how much time we have and this young lady has offered her very generous aid. Will you do it or not?" Amenadiel huffs in exasperation, even though she can't see his wings, the motion calls to Chloe's mind a giant bird, ruffling its feathers. He replies after a long silence, "Fine." Without another word, he simply disappears from Chloe's sight.

Dae looks nervously up at Niall and he rests a large hand on her shoulder to pull her close for a quick hug for reassurance.

"Okay, that's taken care of," Chloe begins, "What now?" Lucifer smiles at her, "Now, we should do some shopping then return to my place to start your training." "Training?" asks Dae. "What do you mean?"

"I'm going to help Chloe 'up here'," Niall taps his head. "Like most humans, she is unprepared for a mental assault. Maze is going to help her combat skills." He cocks his head then looks at his sibling, "Can you help Dae, too?"

Maze shrugs, "Sure. I'm babysitting one, why not another?" Dae huffs, "Excuse me!" then she glares at Niall. "I don't need..."

"For me?" he pleads. "Please?" She rolls her eyes, "Fine."

"It's settled, then," Lucifer proclaims. "Let's go."


	8. Ballad of a Prodigal Son

The afternoon had been surprisingly productive. The blacksmith was very happy to take the commissions and readily agreed to work with Dae to add the runes. Niall and Dae returned to her apartment on the agreement he would help her fortify her mental defenses. Maze and Chloe returned with Lucifer, where they disappeared into Maze's basement apartment to work on Chloe's combat skills. They emerge several hours later and Maze is satisfied with the progress.

It's been a long day and the trio ends up lounging a bit while Lucifer plays piano. After a bit, Lucifer gets up to pour himself a double, "It's too quiet. Maze, why don't you go out hunting for a bit? Get your ear to the ground, as it were, and see if you can drum up any news?" A predatory grin slides across her face, "I'd love to." Before he can change his mind, she grabs her knives and makes a beeline for the elevator.

Chloe walks to the sofa to grab her sweater, "I should head home, too. Everything's probably covered in dusty by now." Lucifer nods absently without really looking at her, "Right." She stops and looks at him, "Are you okay?"

Surprised, he looks up, "What? Oh. Not sure, actually." He looks slightly confused, "I feel...odd." She steps closer, "What do you mean, by odd?" Lucifer lights a cigarette and slowly paces, "It's hard to explain. Not like something's quite wrong, exactly. It's more like something is quite... _right_." He frowns and sips his scotch, "I don't like it."

She laughs, "Something feels good and you don't like it? Who are you and what have you done with Lucifer?" He shakes his head, "I didn't say it feels _good_. More like something that's supposed to happen. Does that make sense?"

Chloe is confused again, "Oookay, let's start with the basics." Mom that she is, the first thing she does is put a hand to his forehead, "Do you feel sick?" He smirks, "Are you truly checking to see if I have a fever, Detective?" She flashes a sheepish grin, "Always warm, right. Sorry, I forgot. So, do you feel pain anywhere?"

"Not really. Just a bit sore and tired," he shrugs and puts his cigarette out in an ashtray. "Perhaps that's all it is. Maybe I should just go lay down." He smiles but it doesn't quite reach his eyes, "Sure I'll be right as rain in the morning."

She nods as she grabs her sweater, "Okay, if you're sure. I'll see you tomorrow." "Good night, Detective," he says quietly and walks toward his bedroom.

Chloe walks toward the elevator and pushes the button. The doors slide open and she steps in. Before the doors close completely, she hears a crash from the direction of Lucifer's bedroom, "DETECTIVE!" he cries out.

She bolts across the apartment to the bedroom where she sees him on his hands and knees on the floor, blood staining the back of his shirt where his scars are. "Oh God!" she exclaims. He groans from the floor, "It would seem. Bloody Hell!"

"Lucifer, what's going on?" she asks, unable to stop her voice from shaking.

He looks at her like she's an idiot, "What do you THINK is happening, Detective... _aaaagghhh_..." he growls between gritted teeth. "Just...help me get this shirt off." She nods and tries to figure out how to accomplish that task with him on the floor on his hands and knees. She remembers the pocket knife she carries in her purse and grabs it, flicking the blade open. "Sorry," she mutters as she reaches down and cuts the shirt off him. His scars seem to be ripping open, blood oozing and dripping down his back and sides.

"Please," he pants, "Help me onto the bed." She reaches for an arm to help him up, noticing he's shaking violently. His temperature has spiked and he's covered in sweat. "I can't move," he groans. Employing her police training, she slips his arm around her shoulders then heaves upwards, using her legs to lift him and ignoring the angry snarls in a language she doesn't recognize.

She all but drags him a few steps then flings herself onto his bed, taking him with her so that he doesn't land on his back. As a credit to his pain, he doesn't even comment that she's laying on his bed, pinned beneath him.

She squirms out and takes another look at his back. It's covered in blood and sweat, "We need to get you cleaned up." His only response is to bury his face in the comforter and she sees a spasm contort the entire trapezius section of his back. _Oh God, what are you doing to him?_

Chloe jogs to his bathroom and grabs two fluffy black towels. She wets one in the bathtub and wrings it out, the other stays dry. She returns to his bedroom and wipes his back down, careful to avoid the wounds. He moans in response as he begins to shiver in spite of the elevated temperature of his skin.

Lucifer turns his head and squints at her with a pained grimace, "You should go. Don't... _uuunngghh_...need to see this." She shakes her head and continues to wipe him down, "I'm not leaving you like this, Lucifer. You don't have to go through this alone." Too weak and in too much pain to argue, he simply buries his face in the bed again and seems to pass out as his torso is wracked by another spasm.

Morbid fascination getting the better of her, she finds herself staring at the scars as they seem to rip themselves open. The muscles under his skin ripple and move of their own volition and she sees...something...emerging from the scars. It's like he's being sliced open from the inside and she fights back the urge to vomit. Slowly, steadily, finger-like appendages begin to creep out of the wounds, _Oh shit. This is disgusting. I'm in a sci-fi horror movie_.

Chloe goes back to the bathroom for a clean, wet washcloth. When she returns to the bedroom, the... _oh, God, they're...WINGS_ have grown larger. For a moment, she simply covers her mouth with her hand and stares at the scene. Feeling helpless to do anything else, she positions herself near his head and wipes his face. Stroking his hair to try to comfort him, "I'm here," she whispers. Chloe watches in horror as the span of the wings grows larger and his body is seized by another round of tremors. When they finally seem to stop, Lucifer shudders a final time and whimpers softly in his sleep, "Father... _please_..." A soft, warm glow emanates from his body and slowly grows brighter.

Lucifer is sweating profusely and continues to make small sounds while still unconscious. His long fingers clutch the comforter and Chloe squints as the light intensifies. She finally has to close her eyes completely, but continues to run her hand gently through his hair, "Shhhhh...it's almost over," she croons.

After several long minutes, the intensity of the light diminishes and she slowly opens her eyes, focusing on his face first. The grimace of pain is gone but he is slick with sweat and pale from exhaustion, and his eyes remain closed. Afraid to look, she raises her eyes and her mouth falls open in shock.

Laying along Lucifer's back, over the bed and reaching to the floor are a massive pair of white wings, softly glowing with Divine light. Her breath comes out in small pants as shock washes over her. To stop herself from touching them, she strokes his hair again then leans down to place a small kiss on his head, much as she would do for her daughter, "It's over. Rest now," she whispers. In his sleep, he rubs his face into the blanket and releases a heavy sigh.

Looking around, Chloe realizes there's no way for her to exit the area without touching them. She's loathe to come into contact with them without his permission, so she stays where she is, crouched on the floor, with her upper body on the bed and hand absently stroking his hair. Exhaustion finally catches her and she falls asleep.

Hours later, with every muscle aching, Lucifer regains consciousness and realizes he's not alone. There's a hand tangled in his hair and he struggles to recall events from the night before. _Why am I face-down on the bed, wearing trousers, with a blanket laying over me?_ A raging headache tells him that opening his eyes is not the right course of action yet, so he breathes slowly as he begins to take stock. A soft snore to his left brings a hint of a smile to his face. _Chloe_. Ignoring the state of his head, he squints his eyes open to see her sleeping face not an inch from his. _Oooohhh, delicious. What did I miss?_

Lucifer focuses on the previous night's events and a feeling of dread sinks into his bones, _Father, no. Please.._ he closes his eyes tightly for a moment then heaves a sigh. That's not a blanket laying gently over him. _Damn._

Opening his eyes, he turns his head to see he's right and he groans in frustration. _Double damn._

The sound and movement startle Chloe awake. She lifts the half of her that's on the bed too quickly and falls to the floor. "Oh!"

Lucifer slowly, painfully, raises himself up onto his hands and knees, his wings draping down over his back. He shakes his head, "This is just bloody fucking wonderful," he growls hoarsely.

Chloe's stares at him silently as she stands up, back against the wall. More accurately, she stares from his face to his wings, and back to his face. _First among the angels. Certainly the most beautiful. Oh. My. God._

He's too irritated to bother with pleasantries, "D'ya like it, Detective? I was rather hoping all that was all a nasty dream." She finally finds her voice, "How...um...how..." He interrupts angrily, "How do you think?" He glares daggers at the ceiling while he strips off the remains of his shirt..

She exhales sharply and re-centers herself, "No. I know how they got there and it looked like it hurt. A lot. What I mean is 'are you okay'?"

He has the grace to look apologetic for a second before pushing himself onto his feet, tottering off-balance as he acclimates to the change in his physiology. She steps up to help steady him and he looks down at her, "I just had wings forcibly sprouted from my back. Do I bloody look like I'm okay?" He huffs then looks cautiously around the room before moving.

Chloe can't help the hot blush across her cheeks, "Oh...Lucifer..." she whispers. "You're..."

Lucifer gives her a dark smirk, an expression that looks completely out of place considering the update to his appearance, "An angel, Detective?"

Chloe nods, tears welling in her eyes. "They're...beautiful," she whispers breathlessly.

He carefully bobs them up and down to get a sense of their movement in the small space. _How am I getting them through the doorway?_ He wonders. Focusing, he draws them down low enough to get through the door and slides sideways into the larger living space of the penthouse. Checking the surroundings and satisfied he won't break anything, he careful stretches them out then practices folding them against his back.

Lucifer catches Chloe watching him with a curious expression on her face, "It's been awhile," he explains. "I also never had them here, so they feel a bit different from what I recall. Maze took them when we first got here. It'll take a little time to get used to them again."

He waves them around a little bit, still getting used to their weight. He tentatively flaps and is pleased at their strength as they immediately lift him a foot off the ground, but the movement has caused some things to blow around. The apartment is clearly not an ideal location for this.

He frowns, "I'll have to ask Amenadiel how to hide them." Chloe's brows go up as Lucifer brings his hands together in prayer. His eyes close and he murmurs something quietly. Immediately, she hears a soft rustle and sees Amenadiel on the balcony, his own charcoal-grey wings stretched wide as he lands. As he steps forward, they disappear. Lucifer opens his eyes to see the amused look on the darker angel's face, "Yes, get it out, brother. No doubt the whole lot of you think this is quite amusing."

Amenadiel bows in acknowledgement, "Chloe. Nice to see you again." Her mouth hangs slightly open for a moment, "Why could I see your wings a minute ago? It used to be that you would just show up or disappear, but I saw you arrive just now." He glances at Lucifer, "Probably because you see his. You've witnessed true Divinity, so it will no longer be hidden from you." He shoots her a pointed look, "I just hope for his sake you don't go insane from it."

Chloe scoffs, "If I haven't lost my mind by now, it's not going to happen." The brothers both give her a look that says she shouldn't be so sure just yet.

Lucifer waves a hand at them, "Yes, she can see you properly now. Lovely. I called you hear to talk about me. Or, rather, _these_ ," and he waves his wings for emphasis. "How do you tuck them away so you can, you know, wear shirts and walk amongst humans without causing mass hysteria?"

Chloe looks Lucifer over, taking in his bare feet, well-fitted trousers, bare chest, gleaming white wings and adorably tousled hair. She smirks, unable to resist teasing him, "I don't know, Lucifer. Why bother with shirts? I kind of like this whole 'Chippendale Swan' thing you've got going on right now. All you need is a bow tie."

The archangel in question looks down at her, eyebrows almost to his hairline and mouth open in shock. Amenadiel truly laughs, a surprisingly musical sound. She has the grace to blush even as she grins, her blue eyes sparkling. Lucifer closes his mouth, drawing his lips into a line while he looks at her. Chagrined. "I do not look like a...swan, Detective. Vile, hissing creatures." He stretches his arms out for balance and gives his wings another cautious flap, "My wings are magnificent."

Amenadiel finally controls his laughter then nods his head, "Fine. It seems Father has decided you should be...intact..for this, so I will teach you."

Feeling sore from the awful position she fell asleep in, Chloe rubs her neck, "Look, guys, why don't you do that and I'll go home." Lucifer looks at her surprised, "You want to leave? Now?" He waves his wings again, 'Don't you want to watch?" She blinks owlishly, "I am exhausted, Lucifer. I'm mortal, remember? I need rest. And food. And..." "Space," he finishes for her. "Yeah," she agrees. "Space."

"I understand, my dear. Do come back later, alright?" he asks hopefully. She can't help but smile, "Thanks."


	9. The Mission

Lucifer stands on his balcony smoking a joint. Alcohol certainly doesn't do anything for the Lord of Hell, but something about this lovely little plant goes a long way to settling his jangled nerves. After the past few days, indulging himself feels quite lovely.

The late night/early morning sky is a navy blanket dotted with stars and he decides can no longer resist its siren song. Amenadiel left an hour ago after giving him a brief tutorial managing his wings while around humans. Time to get higher.

The Devil stretches his snowy wings while he exhales a wisp of sweet smoke. He extinguishes the lit end with his fingers then puts the roach in his pocket for later. He approaches the edge of the balcony, flexes just enough to lift over the railing then forward. Lucifer looks down as he hovers with the ground many stories below and a wide grin splits his face. _Damn, this is cool._ Looking up, he concentrates and exerts more power.

The night is his.

Chloe wakes and stretches, happy to be in her own bed, in her own, quiet house. She smiles as she see the morning sun streaming in her familiar window then burrows farther into her blankets. Her eyes pop open in a panic and she covers her eyes with her hand, "I forgot to see Jimmy and Lindsay yesterday," she groans. "Dammit."

She showers quickly then heads downstairs for a hasty breakfast. While the bagel is toasting, she sips coffee and rings Lucifer, who answers on the third ring. "Hello!?" he all but yells into the phone. "Lucifer?" she replies. "Are you in your car? It's really windy where you are." He laughs. No, actually, that sounds more like... _a giggle?_...but the connection is poor, "I am not in my car, Detective, but yes, it is quite windy up here."

"Up here?" she frowns into the phone, "Where are you?" More crackling on the line, "Not sure, exactly, but if you give me about five minutes, I can be to your house." She blinks, still confused, then realization dawns on her.

"Lucifer, are you...flying?"

Definitely a solid laugh this time, "I _am_ , darling! It's marvelous! You should try it." "I'm good, thanks," she replies nervously. "Oh, coooome onnnn," he pouts into the phone. "Why not? Are you acrophobic, my dear?" Chloe shakes her head even though he can't see it, "No, I just just...No." "I won't drop you, I promise," he replies.

"I can't. We have work to do," she almost feels guilty for spoiling his fun. Almost. She hears his disappointed sigh. "Fine. Be a spoilsport. Be there shortly. Come out to the beach behind your house, will you?" he asks. She chuckles, "Sure," she disconnects the call. A small puff of smoke from the toaster informs her she burned her bagel and she throws a protein bar into her purse before heading to the beach to watch him land, leaving her purse and shoes on the back porch.

Unsure of which direction he'll be coming from, she casts about trying to locate him in the morning sky. Suddenly, she is terrified when a pair of strong arms wrap around her torso from behind and lift her high into the air. In spite of him holding her tightly, she screams anyway, reflexively kicking in an attempt to escape. "Luuuuuciffffferrrr!" _OhGodOhGodOhGod...I'mGoingtoDIE_.

One arm is firmly around her ribs, below her breasts, and the other is around her abdomen, between her waist and her hips. Her heart drops into her stomach and she squeezes her eyes tight, not even opening them as she hears his voice in her ear, soothing her. "I have you, darling. Be still. Look, now...isn't this wonderful?"

She feels his laughter even as she hears it in her ear, "This isn't quite what I imagined for having you beneath me and calling my name, Detective, but I'll take it for now." Every stroke of his wings moves them rhythmically against each other and she tries to not notice how delightfully warm he is against the morning chill. "Dammit, Lucifer," she cries, "Please...put me down."

 _I could certainly put you down right now_ , he thinks to himself, _but I sincerely doubt you'd appreciate it. Probably try to kill me, actually. Could be funny, though._ He laughs and it's the happiest she's ever heard him, "You have my word - I won't drop you. Where's your sense of adventure?" She shakes her head as her eyes remain closed, "I have enough adventure in my life. This isn't funny."

He lowers his head until she feels him nuzzle behind her ear, his warm breath giving her goosebumps, "Do you trust me, Chloe?" he asks softly. She pauses for a moment then nods quickly as her stomach does a flip. She can feel him smile behind her ear then feels his warm breath again, "Then open your eyes, darling," he says softly.

Chloe grips the arm around her ribs tightly and he pulls her closer for reassurance, "It's alright." Carefully, she cracks open her eyes and she is greeted by the morning sun over the ocean. Below them, a pod of dolphins frolics in the waves. "Wow," she whispers breathlessly. Lucifer nuzzles her again as he feels her relax. "Told you. Marvelous, isn't it?" she feels him smile and returns it, even if she isn't facing him.

Lucifer makes a wide, banking turn to head back to Chloe's house and she is surprised by the disappointment she feels as the beach approaches. They return to the spot where he picked her up and, even though he tries to hover and set them down gently, they end up unceremoniously plopped onto the sand below. He lays back in the sand, his wings spread underneath and laughs. His happiness is infectious and she can't help but smile down at him, enjoying the sight of unbridled joy on his face, _He looks so young. Almost innocent...almost_ , she thinks to herself. Her inner voice grows angry, _So much was taken from him._

Lucifer regains his feet, brushing sand off his clothes and fluffing it out of his feathers. He notices the strange look on Chloe's face, "What is it, love? Not going to be air-sick are you?" he grins mischievously.

Startled from her reverie, she shakes her head, "What? Oh. No, I'm fine..." she stops as she watches him flutter his wings. Mesmerized, she steps forward, "They're gorgeous, Lucifer." He grins happily down at her while extending one in her direction, "Do you want to touch it? Go on."

Her eyes widen in surprise as she extends a tentative hand toward the gleaming feathers. Chloe licks her lips nervously and shoots him a look, "You already _have_ permission, Detective," he grins. "I won't...nothing will..." she pauses. "Nothing will happen to you," he replies.

Chloe continues to reach forward and gently strokes his top-most feather. Unable to resist, he suddenly flaps at her and screams. She jumps back, heart in her throat, convinced she's having a heart attack but then decides to kill him after he dissolves into laughter. "That is NOT funny," she yells. "It was hilarious!" he replies, still laughing. "You should have seen your face, Detective!" he points at her with a big smile.

Unable to remain angry in the face of his uncharacteristic happiness, she huffs out a breath. "We really do have work to do." She gestures at his new appendages, "Did your brother help you figure out how to, um, put those away?" He pouts for a moment then nods his head, "Fine. Yes, he did. Just let me think on it for a moment," he closes his eyes and staggers when the wings disappear, the sudden loss of their weight throwing him off-balance.

Seeing him return to what she's used to seeing, she feels the tension in her shoulders relax a bit. His new look will certainly take getting used to. They turn and walk up the beach to her home. She grabs her purse and slides on her shoes then has to wait as he shakes sand out of his Christian Louboutins.

"So, Detective," he bounces alongside her while he claps his hands together, "What's so urgent?" "I got a call from the Lieutenant a couple of days ago that Jimmy Barnes and Lindsay Jolson seemed to be losing their minds even more than before. You have any thoughts about that?" she asks as they get into her car.

He frowns, "Not yet, really. Are they doing or saying anything in particular?" She nods, "Yeah. Apparently they're screaming for you."

Lucifer feels a shiver down his spine and tries to shake it off, but she sees it, "What?" she asks. He looks irritated, "It's Mum. Seems she's looking for me. This is sooner than I would like. Let's pick up Niall on the way, shall we? We'll have need of his...expertise." She nods as he reaches for his phone.

Niall leans his back against the wall outside Jimmy Barnes' hospital room while Chloe and Lucifer go in to talk with the now-insane record producer. Even though the orderly told Jimmy they were coming, the man still jumped off his bed like it was on fire and scuttled across the room to avoid being close to Lucifer. For his part, The Prince of Darkness stands near the door, inside the room with his hands in his pockets, "Well, Jimmy, you've been calling for me and I'm here. What is it?"

Jimmy cowers in a corner of the room, trembling violently, "I...I...have a...message..." he stammers. Chloe watches as he twitches, refusing to look at Lucifer, "She's looking for you," he chokes out. "Who?" Chloe asks. "Who's looking for Lucifer?"

In the hall, Niall closes his eyes and listens for the unfamiliar voice in the next room. Latching on, he follows the thread of energy behind it and slides into Jimmy's subconscience. _He 'stands' calmly at the center of a maelstrom of agony and takes a moment to get his bearings. The scene is almost pitch black with shadows flying in all directions._ _ **Looks like home**_ _, he muses to himself with a smirk. He looks down to see his feet are on a familiar path along a cliff wall._ _ **Might as well have "Lucifer was here" painted on the wall.**_ _The scene above is a swirling mass of movement and the path seems to circle a hole which grows darker the farther it descends. Having more than a passing acquaintance with the state of a mortal's mind after they've encountered Lucifer's 'nastier side,' Niall takes cautious steps forward._ _ **Nowhere to go but down**_ _, he remembers as he picks his way along the trail._

The fragile man waves a trembling hand to point at Lucifer, "He knows. It's...HER. A...A...Ah..." he stammers then falls to the ground as blood begins to dribble out of his ears.

 _For what feels like hours, Niall carefully descends into the blackness, stopping every so often to re-center himself with a deep breath. He suddenly reaches a bottom to the chasm and he steps awkwardly onto the surface._ _ **Dammit. End of the line**_ _, his tail twitches as he sighs heavily in frustration._ _ **Well, nothing for it**_ _, he thinks as he looks around._ _ **Be quick and get out.**_ _He stalks along the wall until he finds what he's looking for,_ _ **Time to get the Hell out**_ _, he closes his eyes and hurls himself straight up with all the force he can muster._

Chloe flings open the door and calls for medical assistance as Lucifer calmly steps into the hallway. Niall's eyes are closed and his breathing is slow and even. He seems to be asleep. As Lucifer watches, the large demon blinks his eyes open and looks up. Lucifer gives Niall a moment then cocks his head, "Well?" Niall nods, "It's Asherah. Same message as Lindsay. I barely got out before..." Lucifer scowls as Chloe returns to the room with the medical team, then waves his hand at her, "Don't bother, Detective. He's gone and we need to go."

She looks horrified, "How can you be sure?" He raises his eyebrows, "You're really asking me this?" Chloe huffs, "Right. I forgot I'm on a real-live Dungeons and Dragons adventure." Lucifer and Niall both look at her with confused expressions as she leads the way to the car.

They return to Lucifer's apartment and he pours a round. He gestures at a his giant leather sectional, "You two need to get to work," he instructs. Niall nods obediently, "Of course, sire." Chloe's eyes pop open, "What? Now?" Lucifer nods then tosses back his drink, "Yes, now, Detective," he replies in a tone that brooks no further argument. "I apologize, but time has grown short. Chop-chop."

Chloe and Niall head to the couch and she takes a nervous sip of her drink as she looks rather far up into Niall's face. _Christ, he's tall._ The demon gives her a warm smile and gestures to the sofa while he sinks, cross-legged onto the floor. "Why did you do that?" she asks. His smile softens, being careful to not expose the elongated points of his canines. "I don't seem so large down here. You need to be comfortable," he replies pleasantly.

Her eyes still wide, she nods and sits down, stiffly perching on the edge of the sofa. Niall sets his drink on the floor and leans back on his hands, "We should get to know each other a little bit before we do this, Ms. Decker. Do you mind?"

"Does it matter?" she shoots back, a bit irritated at the need for this exercise. Niall nods emphatically, his curls bouncing on his head, "Absolutely," he replies in earnest. "Your free will is sacrosanct. I will seek your consent quite a number of times while we do this."

"I guess being partners with The Devil has to come with some perks, right?" she quips. The demon at her feet shakes his head, "I'm sure it does, but this is my lord's rule for everyone. Free will is inviolable. Upon penalty of being unmade."

Her brow furrows, "Unmade? Not killed? What's the difference?" Niall looks uncomfortable, "To be killed simply returns your soul from whence it came. If I were killed, I would just return to Hell. He squirms, "To be unmade...destroys your soul. If I were...unmade, I would...cease to be entirely." Chloe's mouth falls open slightly. "Lucifer can...would do that?" she asks. Niall's emerald green eyes widen as he nods again, "Yes ma'am. He can. He would," he glances nervously toward the person in question then back again. "He has done it before."

Chloe flushes and her eyes widen further as she considers this information. "Oh my G...that's cruel," she whispers. Niall shrugs, "Not when you consider who is enforcing that mandate. Free will is a big deal, and I agree with him. Especially if you consider my...gifts." He watches as Lucifer sits at the piano and begins to play, "He's furious with Amenadiel's abuse of that other detective's free will. Horrible human being that he was, he merely deserved to die."

Niall clears his throat, "So. Tell me about yourself, Ms. Decker. What information will you willingly give me about yourself?" "Why do you need me to tell you about myself if you're just going to go..." she gestures at her head and he smiles softly again. "I don't work that way. Well, not with people I need to remain close to. I will always ask you for permission first." "Um...close?" she asks nervously. The demon reaches for his own drink and takes a sip as she continues. "We're not going to...um..."

Niall chuckles, "No. We aren't going to have sex." He shoots her a cheeky grin that looks vaguely familiar, "Not that I wouldn't love to, of course, but you are quite off-limits." He sips again, "What we are going to do is much more intimate, anyway."

Chloe springs off the couch and tosses back the rest of her drink, then she walks to the bar. Lucifer looks up as she brings the bottle back to the sofa and proceeds to pour herself about four fingers, "Easy, Detective! Remember, you're only..." "Human?!" she shouts back at him sarcastically. "Exactly!" he chuckles and returns to his music.

She takes a long pull from her drink, looks down at Niall then squints at the top of his head. "You have horns," she states flatly. He grins, "Yes, ma'am. They're easier to hide than the tail." She nods because, of course, _horns_. "So, Lucifer is, what? Your dad? You've said he "made" you, but what does that mean, exactly? Do you, you know, have a mother?" _Does Lucifer have a wife?_

He frowns, "He is my...father, if you will, but there was no...mother, so to speak. Not for this to sound bad, but I don't know how to explain that in a way you would understand." He winks at her, "And, no, my sire does not have a mate." Chloe points at him, "You said you'd ask permission before you go in my head!" she accuses. He puts a hand up, "It was all over your face. It's not my fault you shouldn't play poker, Ms. Decker."

Niall smiles as he leans forward. "Not to worry," he says in a conspiratorial whisper. "I will only share information with him if you ask or in case of emergency." She is clearly skeptical. "What do you consider an emergency?" she asks. "If you are unable to speak for yourself," he responds immediately. She still looks unconvinced.

"Look, you and my sire clearly have some..." he pauses as he glances at the piano then back again, "...things...to work out. That's not my business. My business is keeping you safe because that is what he wants. I need you to stop being stubborn and let me do as my lord has commanded."

She silently studies his face, looking for any signs of duplicity and she sees nothing but an open face and earnest green eyes looking back. But he's a demon, and demons lie. _Right?_ He arches a black eyebrow at her, "How about if I give you something first? A good faith gesture?" Chloe narrows her eyes, "Like what?" He shrugs, "Information, of course. It's all I'm asking for from you, it's all I'll offer in return. Fair?"

Begrudgingly, she nods her head, "Okay. What have you got?" Niall drops his voice again, "Never, in my long life have I seen anyone speak to my sire the way you do." He gives her a quick once-over, "I confess that I'm intrigued about why he holds you in such esteem that he allows it." She smirks, "Maybe it's because I tell him 'no'. On a regular basis." The demon shakes his head then finishes his drink, "But you're human. You shouldn't even _be able_ to do that." She rolls her eyes, "Not this again."

Niall holds up his hand, "Sorry. I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject. It seems we've gotten off track. You were going to tell me something about yourself. Where you grew up, the people in your life who are close to you, stuff like that." Chloe shrugs then leans forward to refresh his drink, "Okay. Let's get this over with."


	10. Home

"I'd like to know a little about you, first. How did you and Dae meet?" Chloe asks Niall. Is there some," she waves her hand, "bar or something where...unusual people meet up? A Tinder site or something?" Niall laughs, "No. She, um..." he pauses and the smile on his face softens while a distracted expression crosses his face. "She followed me home one night," he chuckles as he rubs the back of his neck.

Chloe's eyebrows go up. " _She_ followed _you_? Sorry, but I would have thought something the other way around." _Wait...he's a demon and he...blushes?_ "She saw me at the market, actually. Realized I am not of this plane and set off to investigate." His smile grows with pride, "She was prepared to send me back. Damn, that was awesome."

"What happened?" Chloe asks. He shrugs as the grin gets even larger, "Well, we had sex, of course. It hurt quite a lot the first few times. Like drinking battery acid sometimes, and worth it, but once we..." Chloe puts her hand up to stop the apparently forthcoming details, "That's enough. I get the idea."

The demon laughs as he finishes his drink, "You humans are all so bent out of shape about sex. I still don't get it. It feels good, it makes everyone happy...what's the problem?" Chloe shakes her head, "You sound like Lucifer." He shrugs again, "Well, apple, tree, and all that."

He grins and points at her, "So what about you and my lord? How did you meet?" Chloe tells Niall about her first case with Lucifer and some of their subsequent escapades, including Lucifer's death at Malcolm's hands. She turns her head, her gaze lingering on the man playing the piano. "He... _died_ , Niall. Protecting me and Trixie," she chokes out as she looks back at the demon. Her eyes fill with tears and she blinks them away rapidly. "I still don't know how to thank him," she says quietly.

Niall leans forward, "You're doing fine on that front," he offers in a conspiratorial whisper. "What do you mean?" she frowns. "I haven't done anything," she huffs a chuckle, "not even him." The demon shakes his head, "Anyone can have sex with him, Ms. Decker. Hell, everybody _does_. But you _care_. Aside from me and Maze, it's been a damned long time since he's had that luxury. Too long, if you ask me." He smiles and winks, "Carry on."

Chloe sits for several minutes, quietly processing the conversation. She looks at Niall as he sits on the floor at her feet, his tail comfortably curled into his lap, then she considers the supposedly evil man behind her who has been drawing the most beautiful music out of his piano for the entire evening so far. _Things are never what we think they are going to be_ , she thinks. Finally, she looks at Niall and takes a deep breath, "I'm ready. What do I do?"

He gives her a soft smile, "Why don't you lay back on the sofa and relax, Ms. Decker? You'll be more comfortable." She complies with his suggestion but quirks her eyebrow, "You can call me 'Chloe,' you know." He shakes his head, "I'd rather not, if you don't mind. Not yet, at least." She frowns, "I just thought...since we're going to be...so close..." "The formality helps me maintain a bit of professional distance, if you will," he explains. "Nothing personal of course," he grins hopefully.

Chloe nods, "Got it." She smiles, "Thank you." He grins, "Of course. Just think of me on the same terms of your gynecologist." She laughs in shock, "You did NOT just say that." Niall grins back at her, "I did! Cheeky as it sounds, I mean it. Doctors for your body are like mechanics, really. Always tinkering with bits and pieces to keep you in top form. Think of me as a mechanic who is fine-tuning your mind." She nods in agreement, "Yeah. I can see that."

"Close your eyes, Ms. Decker," Niall's voice is low and soft. Like the instructor for that yoga class she tried once, before discovering that 'relax' isn't something she knows how to do. _I'll just shoot whoever is stressing me._ She closes her eyes and he speaks again. His accent, although not as pronounced as Lucifer's, has a soft lilt that lends it a similar musical quality, "Take a slow deep breath and let it out just as slowly. Again. One more time. Good. Now, imagine your mind is 'home.' Think of what the entryway looks like and see that picture at the front of your thoughts. Tell me when you're ready." She does as she asks and is surprised to hear a knock at the door in her thoughts. "May I come in?"

She can't help but chuckle, "Seriously? That's so cheesy." She hears the smile in his voice, "I know, but I'm trying to work within your frame of reference in a way that is as sympathetic as possible." She opens the door to let him in and he steps through. She is immediately taken aback to see that, in her mind, he is much shorter. "Why aren't you...normal size?" she asks. He smiles, "I can control my size in here and this will be easier if my size is less of a distraction." Chloe nods, "That makes sense. Thanks."

"Do you mind if I look around?" She shakes her head, "Nope. Go ahead." Niall clasps his hands behind his back and steps into her home, "This is a replica of where you actually live, isn't it?" She looks surprised, "How did you know?" He shrugs, "Because you have no reason to imagine anything else." He walks further into the space and sees a child sitting on a sofa to his right. He walks toward the open kitchen and sees an attractive, middle-aged woman. Nodding, he strolls farther back, there's another man standing in the hallway, looking rather unhappy.

To Niall's left is a set of stairs going up, he climbs them slowly with Chloe close behind. He reaches the top of the stairs to see it's a bedroom and Lucifer is sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing one of his designer suits, leaning over with his elbows on his knees. He seems to be deep in thought. "Oh my G - what is HE doing here?" Chloe asks in shock. Niall laughs, "It seems he is waiting, Ms. Decker." He looks to see her eyes wide open and her face bright red but he waves it off. "There is no need to be embarrassed, Ms. Decker. Truly." He gestures at his imaginary sire, "Frankly, the fact that he's dressed shows a level of consideration of his person that is quite rare." She stares at him, the look on her face is still something close to getting busted in the shower having saucy thoughts, so he points at the stairs, "Let's go back down, shall we? I have some recommendations."

Chloe lets him lead the way down the stairs and they return to the entry way. "So," she begins, her voice still shaky from discovering Lucifer in her bedroom, "What should I do?" "Everyone in the house is someone that means a great deal to you." Niall points at the girl on the sofa, "This child is yours?"

She nods, "That's Trixie - Beatrice. My daughter." "She has accommodations in your home?" She nods again, "Yeah." "Good," he answers. "In here, lock her in her room unless you know without a doubt that you are safe." "But..." she begins but he cuts her off. "That sounds mean, but it's really not. The only direct effect to her is you keeping her safe from discovery." He gives her a pointed look, "I imagine you're interested in that, yes?" She nods silently. He gestures toward imaginary Trixie, "Go on."

Chloe takes a halting step toward Trixie. The eight-year old is playing with her ninja chemist doll while watching an episode of Mythbusters. "Trixie, babe," Chloe begins. Trixie looks up at her with a smile and bounces over for a hug, "Mommy!" "Honey, I need you to play in your room for a little bit, can you do that for me?" Giant brown eyes look up, "But why, Mommy?" Chloe wavers and looks toward Niall, who nods encouragement, then she turns back to Trixie, "I just need you to trust me right now, Monkey. Go on." Trixie grabs her doll and hops off the couch, "Okay, Mommy!" then bounces into her bedroom. Chloe closes the door behind her and, taking a deep, shaking breath, locks the door.

Niall offers her a beautiful smile, "I know that was hard but you did great. Again, unless you know for a fact that you are safe, do not let her out of that room." Chloe frowns, "How do I know that it's safe to let her out?" The demon gives her a pointed look, "As it relates to this sort of thing, you are only safe when I am near you." She exhales loudly, "Okay. What's next?"

Niall walks toward the kitchen and looks at the woman he finds there, "Who is this?" Chloe smiles, "That's my mom. She's watching Trixie right now." He looks at her, "You want to keep her safe as well, then?" She nods emphatically, "I can put her in the room with Trixie." He shakes his head, "No. Keep the ones you love spread out. Have her return to her home." Chloe bites her lip, "But what about Trixie?" she asks. Niall steps forward and takes her hand, "You need to understand that the people in this house are representations. They are not real. Real Trixie isn't actually locked in a room, but she's safe from discovery in your mind because you have her tucked away. Your mother won't know that you've sent her anywhere. Again, she'll be safe because she won't be seen here."

Chloe's expression changes to one of determination, "Okay," then she turns to her mother. "Mom, it's time for you to head home. I'll call you later." Imaginary Penelope Decker smiles then kisses her daughter's cheek, "Of course, sweetheart. I'll talk to you later." She grabs her keys off the kitchen counter and bounces out the door. Niall nods his approval, "You're a practical woman, Ms. Decker. That makes the process much easier than I expected."

He walks toward the back door to see the grey-eyed man in the hall. He is a bit shorter than Chloe and wears an expression like he's eaten something rancid. Niall cocks his head, "Who is this guy?" he asks. Chloe huffs, "That's Dan, my ex-husband." She cocks her head, "He's taller than me in real life, why is he short here?" she asks. Niall smirks, "He has clearly done something to diminish himself in your eyes. You said he's no longer your mate, can I ask what happened?"

Chloe scowls, "Where do I begin? He's a condescending prick that never made time for me and Trixie until he realized I was over his crap. Every time I was given a case at work, he would show up and try to tell me how to handle it. He insisted that I was too demanding when I pushed him to participate in Trixie's life. He even had the balls to threaten Lucifer if anything happened to me on a case."

Niall laughs aloud, "My lord didn't punish him for that?" He shakes his head then points to him, "So, why is he in your home?" Chloe frowns, "Because he's Trixie's dad. If something happened to him, she'd be devastated. The demon cocks his head, "What about you?" She looks thoughtful for a moment, "He's a complete ass, but I don't hate him. He's stupid but he doesn't need to die for that." Niall gives a slight bow, "I understand. Out he goes." She actually smiles this time as she sends Dan off.

Niall looks around, satisfied, "Great work, Chloe. You're better at this than I would have thought. Next, we need to set up fortifications." She frowns and points her finger at the ceiling, "But...Lucifer is still upstairs." Niall waves her off, "That's fine. He can wander about all you like. Anybody else that may try to come in will want to see him here anyway."

Chloe nods, a thoughtful look on her face, "I suppose that makes sense. So, what next?" He looks around, "It would be pretty easy to break into this place so we want to make it more secure. What are your thoughts?" She looks around, "Well, we could..." He puts his hand up to stop her. "Seriously, your actual thoughts. Show. Don't tell."

She paces around the space between her kitchen and living area, tapping her finger against her lips, a thoughtful expression on her face. She looks at Niall, "I can make it anything I want, right?" "Sure," he agrees. "The only limit is your imagination, but I recommend you not make it too complex. It should be something you don't have to think much about once it's in place." Chloe smiles then closes her eyes. Suddenly, Niall finds himself relocated to the high wall of a castle.

He laughs, green eyes sparkling merrily, "This is wonderful, Ms. Decker!" From his position on the ramparts, he can see a moat and drawbridge. He turns to her with a large smile, "How did you think of this?" She smiles as she looks around, "I used to love talking about medieval history with my dad. We'd play games together and take vacations to visit old castles. At one point, I thought about being an architect." Her smile grows more wistful, "But things didn't work out that way." Chloe looks around and spreads her arms wide, "I've always wanted a castle of my own." She turns to him, her eyes wide with excitement, "Hey, can I have a dragon to defend it?" Niall laughs, "Absolutely!" He smiles down at her, an odd expression on his face. "You're quite creative with this, Ms. Decker. Well done. I never would have expected this."

Chloe blushes as her gaze is drawn by a brilliant, blue dragon circling the castle to eventually perch on the highest tower. "Trixie is in that tower," then she looks at the demon before her. "I have to think out of the box a lot. I'd like to see that bitch try to get in here and find my daughter." Green eyes gleam as they look her over. Niall bows his head slightly in an obvious show of respect, "It seems my sire has chosen his... _friend_...well."


	11. DaydreamWetdreamNightmare

Amenadiel swoops through the sweltering dark of Hell, doing nothing to hide the snarl on his angelic face. _Reduced to serving as an errand boy to my insufferable older brother and his playthings_ , he thinks angrily to himself. The dark angel lands on a craggy peak and opens a large bag. He shoves in enough ash in to fill the sack then takes to the sky again, trying desperately to ignore the screams of The Damned below. An ugly smirk takes up residence on his face as he approaches the exit portal, _Not much longer_.

Dae sits at her table with a sketchpad, drawing precise lines then making notes regarding material interactions with the energy focused by those lines. The call alarm for the elevator rings and she scowls before returning to her pad. The alarm rings again and Dae growls as she shoves her chair back to stand. She stalks to the intercom, "Who is it?" she demands. "It's Maze," comes the reply. "I'm busy. What do you want?" Dae asks.

"We need to talk," Maze answers. Dae unlocks the elevator and checks the salt line on the floor.

The doors open and Maze smiles at her. Sort of. If baring teeth is a always considered a smile. Dae looks at her but doesn't step forward, "About?" Maze shifts impatiently, "I am Lucifer's general. I organize offense and defense. I have his back." She pauses to look Dae up and down, "I have Niall's back, too."

Dae laughs in Maze's face before turning away. "By all means, _General_. Let's talk." As she steps farther into her loft, she points down at the line on the floor, "For now, you may enter no farther than that." She gives the demon a pointed look, "You'll say there until I decide otherwise."

Maze smirks, "I don't think so," she shoots back. The demon moves to step over the line on the floor and finds she can't. She looks down, confused, "What the Hell?" Dae laughs again, "My house, my rules, demon. You'll stay where I put you until I give you permission to move."

"You're a witch," Maze hisses. "I demand you let me out. Lucifer will..." Dae cuts her off with a dismissive wave of her hand, "I prefer the title _Mayya_ , but save your breath. Your master doesn't frighten me. I've spent the majority of my very long life preparing to meet him, actually."

She laughs as she walks to the kitchen for a glass of water, "And the irony is that once I finally _did_ meet him, this anger I've been carrying...for what he did to my people so long ago...it disappears in a puff of smoke because I care about his _son_." She looks at Maze, "That's some shit, isn't it?"

Maze paces and points accusingly, "You DO mean Lucifer harm! I should kill you." Dae sits down and puts her feet up, "I _did_ mean to hurt him. This is true. But I don't now. I might even like him, so you can get over it. Besides, how do you plan to kill me if you can't get close to me?" The demon snarls and the human mask she wears slides away, "You have to leave this place sometime, witch. And I'll be there."

Dae takes a sip of water and calmly watches Maze pace like a tiger in a zoo exhibit. "We have a common enemy and I agree that we need to coordinate our complementary abilities. So, let's get clear about where we stand and move on."

Her eyes flash for a moment and the elevator doors behind Maze open, "You can leave if you want." She moves her hand and a kitchen chair moves to a position behind the line, "Or you can have a seat while we talk this out. There's no need for us to be enemies." Dae smiles, "Especially considering my connection to your brother."

Maze huffs as she sits in the chair, her legs wide and arms crossed over her chest. The pout on her face exceptionally petulant, "I need a drink." "Water?" Dae offers politely, but the demon simply glares at her. "Talk," Maze growls.

"I understand from Niall that you are a ruthless enemy on the battlefield," Dae begins.. "He speaks very highly of your skill with strategy and logistics, and finding enemy weak spots." She grins, "He also said you're a bit...abrasive. The same is often said of me, so I can handle it."

Dae arches a snowy eyebrow, "I don't care if we become friends. We're hardly the 'let's go shopping and get mimosas' sort of women. But we need to work together to keep people close to us safe." She gives Maze a pointed look as she stands and approaches the line. "I'll help you keep Lucifer alive and you help me keep Niall alive."

Maze frowns, "What about Lucifer's pet detective?" Dae shrugs, "She's not my concern, but if she makes it out in one piece, bonus." The demon grins, "I might get to like you after all." Dae nods as she smudges the line of salt on the floor, "Come on. Let's get to work."

Lucifer gets up from the piano and silently approaches the sofa where Chloe lays with her eyes closed. Niall sits on the floor, eyes also closed, his tail curled into his lap and twitching every so often. _They look so relaxed_ , he thinks as he watches them, knowing full well that they are actually quite busy. He can't stop himself from gazing down at the detective. It's such a rare thing when he has the opportunity to just drink in the sight of her without his motives being called into question.

He grins to himself, knowing his motives should always be questioned, especially as it relates to her. He crouches behind the couch, resting his arms on the back, and his chin on his hands, as he continues to look at her for several minutes. _You are a mystery to me, Chloe Decker,_ he thinks. _A beautiful, infuriating mystery. And you give me hope._ He feels an odd pricking sensation in his eyes and blinks it away as he stands up.

Out of habit, Lucifer walks toward the elevator for his almost-nightly walkabout. Strolling through the dark streets of Los Angeles reminds him of Hell and, while he can't honestly say he misses the place, the similarity is comforting somehow. When he remembers he no longer has to walk, a wide grin lights his face and he changes direction toward the balcony. Casting a last glance at the silent pair in his living area, he calls forth his wings and takes to the night.

Several miles away from Lux, a tall, voluptuous blonde woman strolls into a club. Her glittering, almost-black eyes light on the men and women around her and she smiles as she finds a seat at the bar. The bartender quickly fills her order and she sits, idly stirring the ice in her glass with a long, blood-red fingernail. It doesn't take long before a man slides onto the bar stool next to her. She closes her eyes and inhales deeply before turning to him with a languid smile. _Look at you, little peacock. Aren't you all strut and swagger?_ She muses as she gives him a heated look over the rim of her glass. He orders another round for the two of them then rakes his eyes over her. "Hellooo, gorgeous," he smiles. "What's a doll like you doing in a dump like this?"

Her dark eyes pierce his light blue ones and she smiles flirtatiously, "Waiting for you to save me, of course." Flash of teeth before she puts her finger in her mouth to suck off the remains of her drink. His eyebrows go up even as he blushes. _How delicious._ She stands and presses into him, breathing onto his lips, "I'm hungry," she purrs as she plays with the top button of his shirt. She leans in as if to kiss him, then stops, "Fancy a bite?" He nods vigorously, even as she feels his response against her thigh, "Oh yeah, honey. Let me hit the head and we can go."

He walks quickly to the men's room and she finishes her drink before following him. He's just zipping his fly when she enters the room and he leers, "Couldn't wait for me to give it to you, could you?" She starts kissing his neck and he draws back, a desperately wild expression in his eyes, "Hey, baby, I don't even know your name. I'm Steve." She purrs as she watches his mouth move, "Mmmmm...hello, Steve. Call me Charlie," she replies as she presses her lips to his. The contact is delicate at first, gentle lips and lightly grazing teeth. The kiss grows more heated as he feels her hands all over him. A long, fine-boned hand rests over his heart and he feels something inside... _pull_. Fighting nausea and a crushing sense of disorientation, he tries to struggle but it's too late. Momentarily fascinated, Charlotte watches the man's corpse slide down the wall and land in a heap on the floor. She smirks to herself as she leaves the club, already looking down the street, looking for her next victim.


	12. Dangerous

Lucifer's phone rings and, seeing Chloe's name on caller ID, answers immediately. "Detective!" he greets her cheerfully. "How are things back at work? D'you miss me?"

Chloe cuts right to the chase, "I'm on my way to pick you up, can you meet me outside in 10 minutes?" "Well I hope this is less disappointing than the last time you said you were going to 'grab' me," he replies. He smirks at her silence before continuing, "Yes, of course. There's a case, I take it?"

"We're not sure, actually," Chloe reports. "There's definitely something going on, but...it's weird, so I need you to take a look at it." She can almost hear him rolling his eyes, "Is it boring? Because I can sit here with Maze all day and do that." Is she grinding her teeth? "Fine," he sighs, "What's so off about it?"

"More than a dozen men seem to have just...dropped dead at nightclubs but there's no sign of violence," she explains. Lucifer shrugs even though she can't see it, "Isn't that something you humans are wont to do from time to time - drop dead? I hardly see a reason to call Homicide to investigate a natural occurrence."

"Call it a hunch," she replies. "Since going back to work two weeks ago, this is the first really strange thing to come up, so here we are. Look, if you don't want to come, I'll go myself." "Okay, Detective," he says. "You win for now. I'll be outside."

Chloe's police cruiser stops in front of Lux and Lucifer climbs into the front seat. He shoots her a look, "Are you alright, Detective? You seem a bit more tense than usual." She shrugs as she pulls away from the curb. "I don't like waiting for things to happen. This past couple of weeks is getting on my nerves with not knowing what's coming or when to expect it."

He grins, "Well, I am also not known for being patient, darling. What say we go back to mine and help each other out? You help me with this 'thing' I've been waiting months for and I help with your tension. I can even tell you exactly what to expect and when, if you like. Although that takes away the element of surpri..."

"Lucifer!" She rolls her eyes but can't help the chuckle, "You never stop, do you?" He lowers his voice, "Only once you've had enough, my dear. And probably not then, either. Stamina, remember?" Chloe shakes her head but the smile remains as the return to their usual routine goes a long way to calm her nerves, "My answer is still no."

Lucifer smiles in return, "Alright, then. Where are we going first?" "First," she replies, "we take a look at some bars where the victims were found. Some were in bathrooms, others in parking lots or in their cars. Then we head to the morgue to look at the two that came in last night."

The pair hits four clubs, all within half a mile of each other, then heads to the morgue to view the bodies. "This IS boring, Detective. It is certainly an odd coincidence that these poor sots gave up the ghost within such close proximity, and in a rather serial fashion, but there's nothing to show that any of them died as the result of foul play." She nods, "I hate to say it, but I think you're right. But something is wrong about this. Let's go look at the bodies."

They arrive at the morgue and the Medical Examiner is waiting. He brings them from the waiting room into what looks like an operating room and Lucifer shivers at the temperature while the ME rolls out a pair of corpses. Chloe raises her eyebrows at Lucifer as she watches him rub his arms to warm himself. "What, Detective?" he asks. "Surprised that I don't take to cold?" She smirks, "No, not really."

They look down at both bodies, noting the similarities. "Well, at least these two are reasonably attractive," Lucifer announces. "Less boring." Chloe shoots him a 'shut up' look then speaks to the ME, "Neither of these guys look like they should be having heart attacks so young. They clearly took care of themselves." The doctor agrees, "It's the damnedest thing. These are the fourteenth and fifteenth men to just...keel over at a bar in the past week. All the ones I've seen were close in age and should have been in pretty good condition." He rubs the back of his neck, "Sure makes me want to stay home to watch the big game this weekend, I can tell you that much."

They discuss the details - no wounds, no signs of drugs or too much alcohol, no poison. They just dropped dead. "Can you send me information on every man who has died of an apparent heart attack, in public, for the past six weeks, and where and how they were found?" Chloe asks. He nods, "No problem. I'll email it to you this afternoon." She shakes his hand, "Thanks so much for your time."

Chloe grabs Lucifer's hand and makes for the door, "Come on." "Where are we going, Detective?" he asks as he's being dragged along. She and looks up at him as they exit the building and head to her car, "I have to ask, but you don't think Niall..." Lucifer looks at her as if she'd shot him again. "Detective, as close as the two of you have been recently, I'm shocked you can ask if he would do such a thing. The very idea," he scoffs. "Niall has enough control to not go on a..." he waves his hand in the air, "bender like this." He shakes his head, "I could see one, perhaps. If things got out of hand, but more than a dozen? No. Not Niall. Well, not on this plane, anyway," he finishes.

She nods, "Okay, so what about Maze?" Lucifer actually laughs this time. "Maze? My dear, I believe you already know the answer to that. Maze isn't this subtle. Even if she'd simply had sex with them, they'd be covered in marks." Chloe's eyes widen as she shivers in revulsion, "I did not need to know that." He ignores her reaction to continue, "And besides, she's usually with me. No time for the wholesale slaughter of unfortunate wretches in bathrooms and parking lots."

As they get back in the police cruiser, Maze buzzes Lucifer's phone. "The weapons are ready," he reports after disconnecting the call. Niall is picking up Maze in his truck then they will drive to Dae's flat. We should meet them there. Chloe looks at her watch and nods her agreement. "We have time before the medical examiner sends me that information, so, sure. Let's go."

She navigates through town and arrives at the same time as Niall. She laughs when she sees his enormous truck and Maze jumping down from her side of it, "What IS that thing?" she asks. The demon grins, "It's a custom build from one of those guys that makes cars for NBA players. You might not have noticed, but I've got a vertical thing going on." Chloe smiles, "Yeah. You do." As the four of them approach the door to Dae's apartment, Niall stops and looks up at the window, "Something's wrong," he says softly, his tail twitches angrily.

"Dae?" he calls silently. "Is someone there?" She answers quickly. "Around back." Niall dashes to the alley behind the building and the others follow quickly. They round the corner of the building to see a disheveled man holding a gun pointed at Dae. His hands are shaking and he's covered in sweat. A long, gash on his cheek oozes blood onto his shirt. Her shirt is askew and several packages are on the ground at her feet. The small woman's face is not the mask of fear one would expect; more a study of concentration as the fingers of one hand are extended and her eyes are lighter than usual. Chloe draws her gun, "Police, freeze!" but the man doesn't move.

Niall looks closely at Dae and notices slight swelling around one eye, "Did he hurt you?" he asks silently. "He surprised me is all, but I'm holding him still. Do we want him alive?" The demon growls and grabs the assailant by the neck, slamming him against the wall about six feet high as the gun clatters to the ground. Niall stares into his face and takes a dip into the man's head, only to find a jumbled mess. He scans the terrain, looking for any indication that the man was ordered to be here, but all he finds are scattered, incoherent thoughts laced with a taste for particular types of violence. Toward the front of his fevered mind are specific thoughts of his plans for Dae. Enraged, Niall reaches to the 'ground' of the man's psyche and begins to claw his way down.

Chloe watches as Niall holds the man with the gun. The only part of the demon moving is the short, violent lashing motion of his tail. His pupils are blown, lips slightly parted and breathing slow and even. She watches as the man starts to twitch then brings his hands to his head. "Get out! Get out! Get out!" he begins screaming as he twists violently to escape Niall's grip. Oh no. Before Chloe can intervene, blood starts gushing out of the gunman's ears, nose and eyes, and Niall drops him to the ground with a thud. He takes a deep breath and his tail swishes wildly as he stalks away from the corpse to embrace Dae. He lifts her up and buries his face in her neck.

Chloe is horrified, "What the Hell did you do THAT for?" He was going to...hurt her, Ms. Decker, comes Niall's silent reply. "I could have stopped him without killing him. Now we won't know if this was random or not." It was, he answers telepathically again.

She sighs in frustration, "So, now we have a homicide we need to deal with" Lucifer waves his hand, "Not homicide, Detective. Defense of a loved-one believed to be in danger. That's allowed under the law, yes?. And not to worry, I know just the person to call." He grins as he reaches for his cell phone, "Clean-up on aisle 5?" Dae raises her hand and Niall finally releases her, "Don't. I can take care of this. It's my right." Lucifer raises an eyebrow, "Oh?" He smiles then gestures at the body on the ground, "by all means, my dear."

Chloe steps forward, "Wait, what are you doing?" Dae looks up at her, "This piece of shit was intent on raping, and likely, murdering me, Detective." She shoots a wistful glance at Niall, who continues to glare at the corpse, "He defended me but under the laws of my people, it is my right to dispatch my attacker as I see fit." Chloe raises her hand, "Not here, it's not. He's dead and there's nothing else to be done with his body except all the coroner."

Dae's lavender eyes flash angrily, "And then what? Endure an investigation? Listen to the questions you know will come about what I was wearing or what I did to invite this on myself? Fuck that and fuck your system that makes criminals of victims. If you want to file a report, go for it, but there won't be a body to present as evidence, so get out of my way."

Before Chloe can stop her, Dae steps toward a puddle of blood and squats down. Her eyes grow lighter as a lick of flame drips from her hand onto the puddle of blood under her attacker. Chloe is about to say more when a large hand gently lands on her shoulder, she looks up into Lucifer's deep, brown eyes, "This is justice, Detective," he says quietly. "This man sought to infringe on her freedom to choose consortium. There are few higher sins and, in my capacity as a Higher Authority, I agree with her actions." "You are not..." she stops as he raises an eyebrow at her. "Really?" he asks quietly.

Chloe's eyebrows knit together in outrage, "This is wrong, Lucifer," she hisses. "He should have lived to stand trial. That's how the system works." He shrugs but his expression is clear he is unmoved, "If your system actually worked, I would have allowed it, but it doesn't, and this was the next best option." Lucifer's expression softens even as, somehow, he seems taller, "I don't ask you to like it, just accept it." "We are not finished talking about this," she scowls darkly as she turns her head to watch the fire. The flame grows and the five of them watch as the body is quickly consumed. After only a few minutes, all that remains is some ash and a black mark on the alley pavement.

Unwilling to remain any longer than necessary, the group retrieves the packages from the ground while Niall takes Dae's hand to lead her into her apartment. Niall hovers and Dae tries to wave him off, "I'm just a little upset, but I'm fine." Niall gestures toward her face, "But he hit you! He was going to..." She shakes her head, "Stop! I shoved the boxes at him and one hit me in the face." She takes his hands and looks up into his eyes, "I'm okay. He didn't get what he wanted and we obviously don't have to worry that he'll ever try to do it again."

Lucifer watches Niall continue to hover over Dae and he rolls his eyes, Love really does make everybody stupid, "So, I take it these packages contain our order?" Happy for the distraction, Dae nods, "Yes. I'm pleased with how they turned out and I hope you all are as well." The weapons are freed from their boxes in short order and even Maze is impressed with the workmanship.

Some weeks ago, Chloe revealed her father insisted she take up martial arts when she was young and, not only had she earned her black belt, she'd learned to wield a katana. While the weapon designed for her was not forged in Hell, the ashes provided by Amenadiel were incorporated into the layers of steel to craft the blade. Dae explains the marks on the blade are to cancel demonic energy and she will complement those marks with henna runes drawn on the detective's skin. "Dae, darling, can I watch while you do that?" Lucifer leers. Both women frown at him and he shrugs, "What?"

To complement the long swords Niall brought with him from Hell, the blacksmith made a set of six throwing daggers, and he hefted one in each hand to acquaint himself with their weight and balance. Lucifer points at one of the small knives, "We'll test those out when the Detective isn't around, to see if they can hurt me." Maze is outfitted with titanium cuffs engraved with different runes on each, "One for strength, one for speed," Dae explains.

Finally, as befitting the Lord of Hell, Lucifer brought with him a slightly curved saber, or a 'gentleman's sword.' The blacksmith crafted a beautiful dagger as a companion to the saber, with a flawless ruby set in the pommel. Lucifer smiles happily to see the piece and indicates the barely-perceptible runes engraved on the blade, "I like this quite a lot. Dae, my dear, what are these marks for? They look rather sinister."

She nods as she approaches, "They are. I designed special runes for this piece." She gestures at the marks, "Niall provided some guidance on some of your fighting style, and these should enhance those skills when you use the blade in battle. For example," she points at one mark in particular, "You rely on finesse and agility, and these marks will help your speed." Lucifer nods with appreciation, "Lovely. And what about the pretty bauble?" She smiles, "There are runes laser cut into some of the facets. I actually need you to prick your finger and allow some of your blood to come in contact with the stone for them to be activated."

Lucifer looks down at her, "I'm not sure I like the sound of that." She shrugs, "The stone has an almost vampiric quality if you connect to it. Energy from your target will be siphoned to you each time you draw their blood with this weapon." His eyebrows raise, "Really? You can do that?" He grins as he looks at the blade with a big smile, "Nasty business that. Maze, bring your dagger over here." The demon complies and Lucifer cuts his finger. Dae watches as the bright red blood wells on the tip before he smears it on the stone. He cocks his head as he brings his finger to his mouth, "It tingles." Dae nods, "Good. That means it's working."

Finally, Dae pulls out a staff that is roughly six feet tall, and amber in color with black striation, giving the effect of flame licking the entire length of the piece. Etched into the staff are various runes. As she looks it over, Dae can't resist the smile on her face as she strokes the length of the wood. Lucifer smirks as he elbows Niall, "Perhaps we should leave you three alone?" The demon blushes and shakes his head as he moves closer to Dae.

"We need to train, as a group," Maze reports. "It's important to practice tactics together so we can enhance strengths and cover weaknesses." She gives the humans a pointed look, "Especially for you two." Still admiring his new dagger, Lucifer nods in agreement. "Some things have changed recently and we'll need to work on incorporating them into any battle plans." "You mean your wings, sire?" Niall asks. "Exactly," Lucifer agrees.

"But you had wings when we've fought before," Niall points out. "True, but things are different here. They feel different and I want to test them out in various scenarios so I have a better sense of what to expect." Maze agrees, "Where should we go?"

"How about a sound stage?" asks Chloe. "Nobody around to see us and, of people in the area hear anything, they won't really care because it's Hollywood." Lucifer smiles, "I like it!" Chloe reaches for her phone, "I'm sure I can ask my mother for a contact." She walks away to have the conversation, making sure to talk to Trixie as well. The girl misses her mother but reports she's having a great time with Nana. After hanging up, Chloe then calls the studio to make arrangements for a location the next day.

Lucifer claps his hands together happily after she disconnects the call with the studio, "Marvelous!" he cheers. "What great fun this will be."


	13. Take It Or Leave It

Chloe drives Lucifer and Maze back to Lux and parks in the alley behind the building. Instead of simply pulling up and letting them out, she parks the car and gets out with them. Lucifer half-grins, "Something I can help you with, Detective?" She slams the car door and glares at him, "You and I need to talk." He can't decide whether to laugh or chastise her for having such nerve, so he splits the difference with a smirk. "Really? About, what, exactly?"

"You know 'about, what, exactly'," she retorts as she gestures at the private entrance. "Let's take this inside because I don't feel like yelling at you in an alley behind your bar, for the whole world to hear." Her blue eyes flare with anger and Lucifer can't resist goading her. "Are you quite sure? Certainly the acoustics of the opposing concrete surfaces are perfect for amplifying the dulcet tones of your voice as you rail at me." He tries desperately not to chuckle at the frustrated look on her face, _Damn, this is fun_ , "Alright, fine. We'll go inside and have a chat. I assume this is about that unpleasantness at Dae's flat?"

The trio enters the building and Maze shoots him a look that asks if she should stay. He waves her off then he and Chloe take the elevator to his apartment. Lucifer strolls to the bar, where he proceeds to pour them both several fingers of scotch. Taking a sip from his glass, he gestures for her to continue, "As you were saying, Detective?"

Chloe paces the floor angrily, "I cannot _believe_ you let Niall just kill that guy. And then, THEN, you let Dae destroy evidence. What is _wrong_ with you?" Lucifer smiles as he leans his back against the wall and sips his drink while she works herself into a frenzied state, _She is positively incandescent with rage,_ he muses silently. _Beautiful._

"Maybe it was dumb," she continues, "but I thought that, _maybe_ , from working with me, you'd figured out that there's a way to do things. A process for finding and capturing bad guys and sending them off to jail so they can't hurt anybody else."

Lucifer raises his hand, "But, Detective, he _can't_ hurt anybody else. Same result, yes?" he asks hopefully. "No," she growls, " _Not_ the same was murder." Lucifer watches her over the rim of his glass, dark eyes edging toward black, "This was _defense_ , my dear. A different thing entirely. His choice to assault Dae brought with it a certain consequence that he had to deal with." She jabs a finger in his direction, "And that consequence should have been jail time."

He stands up and reaches into his jacket for a cigarette and lighter, taking small comfort in the ritual of tamping, lighting, inhaling, then exhaling a puff of smoke while he gathers his thoughts. "Tell me, Detective, how long have I been doing my job?" He shoots her a pointed look as she processes the question. She blinks, "A long time." He arches a brow, " _How_ long? Give or take?" She shrugs, "I don't know. Thousands of years, I guess. I haven't given it much thought."

Lucifer shakes his head and takes another drag off the cigarette, " _Hundreds_ of thousands of years, darling. Think on that a moment. And, while you're at it, do you have any _concept_ of my age? Literally _millions_. I can't get my own my head around it sometimes, so I know it's hard for you, but perhaps trust I know what I'm doing as it relates to these matters?" The sound of his smoky exhalation is one of obvious frustration.

Chloe steps closer and looks up into his face, "Don't patronize me," she hisses. "You _left_ Hell, Lucifer. When you walked away, you abdicated your right to pass judgment." He nods and steps back, "I did walk away, but it doesn't change what I _am_ , Detective. And judgment is what what I _am_ , whether I like it or not - and I don't. At all." He points the cigarette at her before bringing it back to his lips, "And this is whether _you_ like it or not, as well. Since there's only one Authority who exceeds my own, and he hasn't been particularly chatty lately, your chance of changing that isn't looking good." He grins, "But I'm all for you trying if you care to take a crack at it."

She shakes her head and paces again, "We...humans...have _laws_ in place, Lucifer. Processes. Bad people get arrested, tried, and they go to jail." Lucifer laughs, "And those _processes_ of yours work so very well, don't they?" He sips his drink, "Are you honestly going to stand here, lie to the Devil himself and say you _believe_ that rubbish? Do you hear yourself?" Chloe stares at him, her blue eyes wide, "I have to," she whispers hoarsely.

He flashes a roguish grin and steps closer, "Do you, now? And why do you think that is, my dear? Is it because you never believed in God before?" He walks around her, near enough to touch, and lowers his voice, "Or more specifically, you never believed in _me_? That I was actually down in Hell, living up to the hype and punishing those who deserved it?" He grins and bends down to whisper and she shivers as his warm breath brushes her ear, "Because I certainly _was_."

Lucifer takes a drink and walks out onto the balcony, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Chloe takes a healthy pull from her own glass and stares at the wall of expensive whiskey behind the bar, _Do I still believe it?_ she wonders. _There is right and wrong and we can't rely on...celestial intervention to fix anything. They've had plenty of opportunity and all it seems they're good at is screwing things up even more. Our systems are flawed. They fail a lot of people. But...they do a lot of good, too. We just have to keep working at it and have...faith...shit._ She blinks as the feeling seats itself. _Yeah. I do believe._

She turns to regard Lucifer's back as he looks out over the city. _So, where does_ ** _he_** _fit into all this?_ She squares her shoulders and walks toward him. He looks down but doesn't turn around, "Hmmm?"

"What are you doing here, Lucifer?" she asks. He looks around and gestures at the balcony with his drink, "It seems I'm having a cocktail on the veranda, Detective." She scowls at him, "You know what I mean."

Lucifer raises his eyebrows as he looks down at her, "I'm sure I don't, actually. You already know why I left Hell. What else is there to know?" She walks to the the railing of the balcony and raises her face to the wind for a moment, closing her eyes and enjoying the cool air. He lights another cigarette to stop himself from walking over and planting kisses down the length of her neck. _Not fair, Father._

Chloe sighs and turns around, "When you thought to yourself 'hey, I'm leaving Hell,' what did you think about doing while you are here? Bang starlets? Eat tamales? Naked bungee jumping...what? I know you didn't think 'maybe I'll go solve boring homicides with a washed-up actress'."

Lucifer shrugs as he takes another drag on his cigarette, "I didn't give it a whole lot of thought, honestly. I wanted to watch humans having fun and to participate - you're all so bloody morose otherwise. Especially by the time _I_ got to see any of you, anyway." He steps toward the railing next to her, and leans forward, "Beyond that, I suppose I just thought I'd see what happens. Cast myself to the wind, as it were."

Chloe can't help but smile and finds herself touching the back of one of his shoulders, "Cutting off your wings didn't help much for you being 'on the wind,' did it?" "I suppose not," he agrees with an answering grin. "Doesn't matter now, though," he laughs as she jumps when his wings materialize next to her.

Chloe stares at him as he takes a drag off his cigarette while stretching his wings. _There's a visual one doesn't imagine._ He flaps them lightly, to fluff the feathers then looks at her bemused expression, "What?" She shakes her head, "I don't think I'll ever get used to...that. Those," she points. He grins as he lowers them back into their normal position, "You can touch. I promise I won't scream this time," he winks and lowers his voice, "Well, unless you give me a good reason, that is." She blushes and reaches for his wing, "You're sure?" He nods as he extends the wing toward her, "Indeed. Look, I won't even watch," he dutifully closes his eyes. _Those eyelashes should be their own deadly sin_ , she thinks to herself.

Nervously, she raises her hand to carefully stroke the top of the proffered wing and stops at his shuddering breath. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean..." he stops her with a quick shake of his head. He opens his eyes just a bit and she sees they're beginning to glow, "You didn't hurt me, darling. On the contrary...please...again?" He closes his eyes once more and takes a deep breath, which he slowly releases as she complies with his request. Chloe gently runs her hand over the top structure of the wing and lightly strokes the softly glowing feathers, then stops in alarm. "Lucifer, you're shaking. Are you alright?"

Lucifer opens his eyes again and she sees they're returned to the glassy black she's come to understand means he's in some emotional distress. He reaches his hand to her cheek and smiles softly, "It's just been...a long time since anyone has. Um," he coughs, "touched me...like that." She swallows hard and returns his gaze, "Like what, Lucifer?" she asks, her voice catching.

His smile is sad as his gaze drops to her lips, "This," he whispers as he kisses her. Chloe's eyes flutter closed as her arms go around his neck, and she feels him wrap his arms, and his wings, around her. In contrast to the first kiss they shared when she was convinced of his identity, this kiss is gentle and almost delicate. She parts her lips and can't stop the moan of pleasure as he slowly makes love to her mouth with his tongue. Warmth floods through her as she feels her knees grow weak.

After what feels like hours, Lucifer slowly breaks away so they can catch their breath and she chuckles to see she's tucked inside of his massive wings. He strokes her cheek again and the sad smile returns. "You should leave, my dear." She blinks in surprise as she straightens up on wobbly legs, "Wait, what? Why?"

He closes his eyes and nuzzles her ear, making her shiver. "Because this is not the time and I lack the will to say 'no' if you stay." She hums happily as she plays with the top button of his shirt and brushes her hip against the front of his trousers, "And what if I don't want you to say 'no,' Lucifer?"

He pulls away a few inches so he can look down into her face and she is surprised to see his eyes glowing a soft amber. The smile on his face is the very definition of sin and his voice drips with dark promises as he removes her hand from his shirt and proceeds to gently suck on her fingertips. "When I take you to my bed, Chloe Decker, it will be a _very_ long time before you get out of it again," he vows as he closes his eyes and kisses the palm of her hand. "We simply haven't the time I wish to take with you."

Convinced her heart will beat right out of her chest, she nods, "Oh. I..um...okay," she agrees breathlessly. Lucifer begrudgingly releases her and concentrates a moment to will his wings away. "So, I'll see you at the sound stage tomorrow," she stammers, _Oh, this is sad._ He smiles happily, "You will, indeed! I haven't wielded a sword in ages. It should be quite entertaining to watch Maze hand my wings to me."

"Goodnight Lucifer," Chloe says. She walks through his apartment to the elevator with him following several feet back, a soft smile on his face. "Goodnight, Chloe," he says quietly as the elevator doors close.

He walks to the bar to refresh his drink then sits down at the piano. _It's going to be a long night_ , he smiles to himself.


	14. Roll Up

Charlotte strolls slowly along a street and her eye is caught by attractive clothing being advertised in a storefront window. Deciding she is due for an upgrade to her current appearance, she strolls in. The salesgirl approaches and is charmed immediately. They select several outfits and the worker insists Charlotte try them all, _How appropriately solicitous_ , she muses. Deciding she likes them all, Charlotte turns to leave but the girl moves to stop her. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but you have to pay for them first".

"Pay?" comes the confused reply. "I don't think so, my dear." The girl moves to the phone, "You can't just take them!" Charlotte advances on the girl, "I can, and I will." Before the girl can dial the police, Charlotte snaps her neck and lets the body fall behind the counter. She laughs as she opens the register, stuffs clothes into a bag then leaves.

Chloe struggles hard against the tears that threaten to spill. _I won't cry. I won't cry. I won't...dammit._ She sniffles and hopes desperately that it's not obvious. "I miss you, monkey," she speaks into her phone's camera.

Trixie's giant, milk-chocolate brown eyes blink back at her as she tries hard to be a big girl. "I miss you, too, mommy. When can I come home?" The detective pinches herself to distract from the wrenching sensation in her chest, "Soon, baby. I promise." The little girl smiles and Chloe sees she lost another tooth, "Good! The tooth fairy at Nana's house gave me make-up. I wanted cash."

Chloe laughs in spite of herself. "I think that was the same tooth fairy from when I was little. I'll cash you up then we'll get for ice cream to make it up to you, okay? I have to go, though. I'll call you tomorrow, honey." "Alright, mommy," she says. "Hug Lucifer for me?" The detective smiles and and hopes her blush doesn't show up on the phone's camera either, "I will, baby. I love you." "I love you, too, mommy. Bye!"

She disconnects the video chat and sits at the table wiping her eyes for a few minutes while she collects herself. _No more moping_ , she decides as she gets up. Her phone buzzes with a message from Lucifer as she heads upstairs, _We'll meet you at the studio_.

An hour later, Chloe has showered, dressed in gym shorts and t-shirt, eaten breakfast and answered emails. The medical examiner sent over the addresses of where all the victims were found and she prints out the list for research when she gets home later. She grabs her gear, locks the door then drives over to the sound stage.

When she pulls up, she sees Lucifer's car is parked next to... _Niall's monster truck_ , she chuckles to herself as she realizes she will never think of that phrase quite the same way again. As she enters the building, it sounds like the others have already started without her. She walks around an interior corner and her mouth falls open.

Dae and Maze are sparring hand-to-hand while Lucifer and Niall are going at each other with blades. Chloe's face turns scarlet as she stalks forward, "Why are you _**naked**_?" Dae is the only one wearing a stitch and Chloe is pretty sure she never, ever needed to see that much of Niall, _Oh my God, how do he and Dae...?_ The lady in question starts laughing, "I _told_ you she wouldn't be happy!"

Lucifer turns his head and smiles radiantly, "Good morning, Detective! Glad you could finally join us! Hope you don't mind that we started without you, but we got tired of waiting." She turns her back and crosses her arms over her chest, "Seriously, Lucifer? _Again_? Where are your clothes?" He shrugs as he walks toward her, "Well, they're hanging up in the other room. Darling, what's wrong?"

Chloe waves her hand over her shoulder, refusing to turn around and look at him, "You're all..." She can hear him grinning behind her, "But this is how the Spartans trained, my dear. You can't deny it seemed to work for them." She shakes her head and can't help the embarrassed laugh that comes out, "This is _not_ Sparta, Lucifer." She hears him huff, "Well I can't very well exercise in my Tom Ford suit, now can I? As it is, I've destroyed quite enough of my wardrobe since meeting you, Detective. I mean, between you shooting me, rescuing you from that fire, and..."

"Do you _own_ any casual clothes?" she counters. "Why would I?" he scoffs. "I've no need. All those scratchy, cheap textiles chafing me, no thank you. Besides, this way is much less restrictive. You should try it." Chloe looks up at the ceiling, "Uuuh..NO!"

Dae laughs, "It's okay, Chloe. You get used to the view!" She snickers, "Mostly." The detective hears rich laughter and movement behind her, and closes her eyes as she feels someone approach, "No worries, Ms. Decker. I'll get changed," Niall chuckles as he walks past. Dae makes a noise of disappointment while Maze snickers.

Chloe waves her hand again without opening her eyes, "Lucifer, can you at least put some freaking pants on? Please?" He sighs heavily and she feels him start to approach, "Very well, Detective. Maze, let's try to make her a little more comfortable, shall we? Can't have her blushing herself to death." The demon snorts, "Fine."

Once Lucifer, Niall and Maze have dressed, Lucifer opting only for trousers, the five of them gather to discuss the work-out plan. Maze will warm Chloe up with some hand-to-hand then they will all pick up weapons.

Niall picks up his long swords while Lucifer retrieves his rapier, "As we were, then?" Lucifer smiles. The demon bows his head slightly, "Certainly, my lord," then swings low for Lucifer's knees. The smaller man lightly hops back as he diverts the blade with his own sword, then ducks to avoid Niall's other blade while it comes toward his shoulder.

Meanwhile, Maze grins and takes a swing at Chloe, who easily blocks and returns with a swing of her own. The ladies trade blows and kicks while Dae watches from the sidelines, focusing on Chloe to get a sense of her strengths and weaknesses. After half an hour or so, Niall walks over to the ladies and Lucifer steps away for a moment. The large demon nods at Chloe, "grab your blade. Dae," he turns his head, "you get that oversized toothpick of yours." The small woman rolls her eyes, "It's a staff." He grins down at her, "Whatever. I want the two of you to come for me at the same time so we can get a sense of working together close-up."

Maze steps forward, "What about me?" Niall gestures behind him, "Our lord feels someone is missing from this little exercise, so he's placing a call, so to speak." The bartender smirks, "He's calling Amenadiel?" Niall nods with a frown, "Yeah. Giant winged asshole that he is. You're going to work out with the two of them." He grins down at his sibling, "Unless you want to keep trying to sneak up on me while I'm distracted with these lovely ladies over here." Maze arches an eyebrow as she strolls toward Lucifer, "Maybe," she calls back over her shoulder.

Niall raises his blades, "First, I want you to come at me one at a time, then we'll have a go all at once, alright?" Dae nods and points the end of her staff at his head, "Keep that business where it belongs." He shoots her a saucy grin but says nothing until she growls at him, "Niall, stop that!" He chuckles, "Sure about that, love? If you weren't black as night, I bet we'd be seeing a lovely blush about now."

Chloe shoots them both an annoyed look, "Get a room. Later." Niall smiles at her, his green eyes sparkling mischievously, "Oh, we will, Ms. Decker. For now, though, you are correct. We should get to it." He gestures to Chloe, "You first." She hesitates, "It's been ages since I've used one of these things, and it was always in exhibition. I've never hurt intentionally hurt someone with one." Niall nods, "I understand. Using the sword is new, but your gun might not be effective." He winks, "I tried one of my new throwing knives out on my lord before you got here. They're effective." Chloe shrugs, "I could shoot you and see what that does." She points over his shoulder at Lucifer, "It worked on him."

He laughs, "I'm good for now, but maybe later." Niall sets his swords on the floor and moves behind the detective, "Get yourself into position and hold your katana at the ready." She does as he asks and he moves in close, "Alright if I touch you?" he asks. She nods and he makes small adjustments to her posture, hip and shoulder positions. "You've used the blade in exhibition, but your balance in battle is going to be different," he explains. "You won't be sparring with other martial artists who are following your motion as part of a ritual. Whatever we face will try to kill you, and they will be looking for openings." He glances over at Lucifer, "Apparently, we're keen on you not dying, so we need to help you avoid any obvious gaps." He returns to his swords and prepares himself, "Let's start with offense. Okay, come get me."

Chloe takes an uncertain, off-balance stab at Niall, who easily evades the blade and gently taps her hip with the flat of one of his swords. "Again." They continue like this for another half hour until Niall calls a stop. "You're doing pretty good, all things considered, but you're still a bit stiff and timid. While I work with Dae, I want you to walk around the studio and just practice moving yourself and your sword about. Do some of the exercises you recall from your earlier training. Stretch. Get comfortable." Chloe nods and walks away to practice on her own.

On the other side of the room, Maze pulls out her daggers and slowly walks around Lucifer. His posture is relaxed as she circles him, looking for an opening. She springs without warning and his arm comes up on reflex to block her blow from the right, but he isn't fast enough to stop her off-hand, which lands a punch to his ribs on the left. He tilts his head and smirks, "One for you, Mazie. Again."

This time, Lucifer takes the offensive, remaining on the balls of his feet as Maze eyes his approach. Lowering his hips for balance, he swings at her head on the left. As she ducks, her arm comes up to block his fist from the right. He realizes he's too close when her knee catches him in the chest and knocks him backward. "Two for me," she grins.

He shoots her a cheeky grin, rubbing his chest where she hit him, "You're holding back, darling. You've hit me harder than that in bed." She laughs as she circles him again, "I've got a much better use for your mouth, Lucifer. Why don't you come over here and I'll show you?" His eyebrows go up and his smile grows brighter, "Touche'!" He draws his new dagger and raises it to point at her chest, "Shall we?" he asks.

Dae stands ready when Niall turns to her, "So, love, what's the deal with your stick?" He grabs it easily and holds it. "It looks slow and cumbersome. Honestly, that your hands will fit around it precludes it from having enough heft to give anything a proper bludgeoning." She smiles and doesn't say anything as her eyes grow pale. Knowing something is about to happen, he holds on to the staff to see what it is. He watches as white flame issues from some of the runes on the staff and begin to ripple up his arm. Niall laughs, "Do you intend to tickle our enemies to death? Is that it?" Dae holds her focus as she replies, "No, but I don't want to hurt you."

Niall laughs again, "Go ahead and try, love. You can kiss it all better later. I promise." She looks unconvinced, "You're sure?" He tightens his grip on her staff, "Come on." She nods and her eyes turn white as he feels the flames grow hotter. He grimaces then finally releases the staff to step back, "Okay - enough!" The flame immediately disappear and her eyes return to normal, if a bit colored by concern when she sees his usually pale skin has taken on a hint of sunburn. "Are you okay?" she asks. He nods down at her, "Yeah. But, damn, that hurt. Can you do that faster and with more intensity?" She shrugs, "Sure."

Niall looks more closely at the staff, "Not all the runes contributed to this." Dae looks and nods agreement, "You're right. Not all the runes do the same thing." "No?" he asks. "What else have you got on that fancy toothpick?" Dae swats him affectionately, "Dork. Some of them are protection for me, so they won't do anything you can see in an obvious way. Others, like these dark grey ones add more power if I'm going to hit someone and, if it's activated, of course."

Niall steps back, "Okay, hit me." Dae frowns and shakes her head, "Look, Niall, I get it. You're a big guy. A demon from Hell, and all that. You can take a beating. But I really don't want to be the one beating you." He shrugs, "I have to make a proper assessment of your equipment before I can help you work with it most effectively. So, let's get on with it. Pretend I pissed you off."

"Niiiiaaalll..."

He raises his eyebrows, "I've just insulted your mother."

"I don't..."

"Your grandmother," he shoots back.

She glares at him, "Seriously?"

"I left the cap off the toothpa..." he never gets to finish the sentence before the staff connects and sends him flying backwards ten feet. Dae drops the staff and runs over to him. "Are you alright?"

Lucifer looks up from his conversation with Maze, "Oh, ho! Bit of a lovers' quarrel, is it?" The demon on the floor starts laughing as he sits up, "The toothpick works!" He slowly gets to his feet and waves Dae off, "I'm fine. That was great." He grins at her affectionately, "You're such a neat-freak." His green eyes darken for a moment as he touches her shoulder, "But I need to know you'll be safe. We'll do some on your swing." She bumps into him affectionately, "I'll be okay." He nods, "Come on, then, let's keep working."

Chloe walks over, "I think I'm ready to whack at you, too." He smiles, "Great!" "Now hold on a minute, Niall," Lucifer calls over. "You're monopolizing the beautiful humans!" Maze snickers then they all turn their heads as Amenadiel walks in the door. He walks slowly to the rest of them and shoots Lucifer an irritated look. "What do you want, now, Lucifer?"

Lucifer saunters toward his younger brother, "Well, I thought you'd like to join us whilst we make preparations for Mum." Amenadiel scowls, "Why would I do that?" he asks. "Father assigned this task to _you_. Not me." His dark eyes scan the group and he sneers openly at Niall as Lucifer's eyebrows go up. "You won't help?" he asks incredulously. "Even though this is all your fault?"

Amenadiel growls as he summons his wings, "This is NOT my fault, Lucifer. If you hadn't quit..." Lucifer rolls his eyes, "Would you stop beating that tired old drum already? I'm here _now_ because Father wants me here. It's not your place, _little brother_ , to nay-say that now, is it?" He turns his back and smirks, "Come on, play with us. Or are you afraid I'll make you look bad in front of Maze? A little late for that, don't you..."

Lucifer doesn't get to finish his comment before he hears Amenadiel take flight. Summoning his own wings and still gripping his dagger, he hurls himself high into the air in time for his brother to fly past. Lucifer laughs at the snarl on Amenadiel's face, "Hit a nerve, did I?"

The four grounded members of the group watch as Lucifer and Amenadiel swoop and dive under the high ceiling of the sound stage. _They look like giant birds chasing each other_ , Chloe thinks as she watches them. Amenadiel is clearly the heftier of the two, but Lucifer is much more agile. _Like an eagle chasing a falcon_ , she muses.

Amenadiel growls as his powerful wings bring him close to Lucifer, and he stretches his bladed wingtips in an effort to make contact. Lucifer tucks his wings and dives sharply, bringing himself up to swat Amenadiel's leg with the flat side of his dagger. "One for me!" he cheers as he glides away.

Amenadiel pulls up to a hard stop and hovers as he watches his older brother flit through the air. Once he picks up on Lucifer's trajectory, he hurtles himself for a mid-air tackle. "Tied," Amenadiel grins evilly at the pained grunt when he makes contact.

On the ground, Chloe steps closer to Maze, "They don't like each other much, do they?" Maze barks a short laugh, "That's putting it mildly." A bit nervous about the scene playing out in front of her, Dae moves closer to Niall and takes his hand. The pedestrians watch as Lucifer twists one of Amenadiel's arms behind his back and shoves him away.

They hover, circling, as each watches the other for another attack. Lucifer feints in an attempt to lure the angel in, but to no effect. _When all else fails..._ , "Is that all you've got, you great lummox?" he taunts. "I hope for Maze's sake you're not such a lumbering oaf in bed. My word, I may have to visit her for a therapeutic shag afterward." Bait, taken.

Amenadiel bellows with rage as he launches himself again. Lucifer laughs happily as he easily dances out of the way and taps his brother with the flat of his blade again. "Another!" He crows as he wisely glides out of reach before the angel turns on him again.

"We're supposed to be sparring, Lucifer," Amenadiel snarls. "Not trading insults like we're pitiful humans." Chloe arches a brow, _Pitiful?,_ "Wait just a minute..." Lucifer laughs in response, "Dear brother, in the thousands of years of your existence have you not yet learned that taunting is a most effective tool for forcing your enemy into unthinking action?" He gestures to make his point, "I mean, look at you. You make it so easy."

Amenadiel drops to the ground and scowls up at his brother, "I didn't come here to be insulted, Lucifer. Leave me out of your little bounty-hunting expedition." As Lucifer hovers, Amenadiel turns his back and stalks out, slamming the door behind him. Lucifer shrugs and looks down, "Niall, care for some target practice with those little knives of yours?"

A couple of hours later, Lucifer, Maze and Niall seem satisfied with the work they've all put in and call a quits for the day. Tired after a hard workout, Chloe picks up her bag and heads for the door. "Sure you wouldn't like a massage, darling?" Lucifer calls out. "I promise my hands can work miracles." She narrows her eyes and turns to him, about to utter one more sharp refusal, but she pauses and just laughs. "No thanks, Lucifer," she replies wearily. "I'm just going to take a hot shower and do some paperwork." Although his face lights up with the intention of offering to help with the shower, he immediately shuts down at the mention of paperwork. "Well, that's just boring," he huffs. "Maze and I will go back to Lux, then." Chloe nods, "I'll call later," she promises as she leaves the sound stage.

Niall packs away his weapons and shoulders Dae's bag, "We'll be at Dae's flat if you need anything." He winks, "Don't call." Lucifer pats him on the shoulder as he walks by to collect the rest of his clothing, "I wouldn't dream of interrupting your cuddle time, darling. Come along, Maze."

Amenadiel swoops over the city and lands in an alley not far from one of the clubs where Charlotte claimed an earlier victim. He paces impatiently until she arrives, looking quite a bit more put together than when he saw her last. "I see you're making your way," he observes.

Her eyes rake over him, "With no thanks to you." Amenadiel cocks his head and gives her a hard look, "We had a deal. I get you here and you get him back. You're here, and now it's time to live up to your end of the bargain."

She steps closer and strokes her fingers down the front of his robes, "Don't worry, Ami. I'll see His _favorite_ back to Hell. Give a girl a little time to prepare. It's important to have a plan." She pats his cheek condescendingly, "But you were never the smart one, were you?" Angry, Amenadiel snarls into her face, "Just do it." He takes to the sky as she laughs maniacally below him, "Fly away little bird."


	15. Arabella

TRIGGER WARNINGS - CHILD MOLESTATION / INCEST

If these are issues, skip the final section

Niall drives Dae to her apartment and parks his truck in the alley. He turns to her as she reaches for the door handle. "I have an idea, if I can come up." She grins, "You do, do you? Get a little hot and bothered earlier?" He blushes, "Well, yes, but that's not my idea. For right now, at least." She shrugs, "Okay, sure."

They enter the apartment and she heads to the pantry after they take off their shoes. He's surprised to see her return with a package of jerky. "I thought you don't eat meat, love."

"I used a bit more energy today than usual, so I need a little pick-me-up." She gestures to him as she takes a bite, "What about you? You haven't...gone out in a while. You okay?" She steps closer and his tail swishes as he takes a shallow, shuddering breath, "Am I in danger?"

Niall steps back, "You are not." He scratches absently at one of his horns, "I'll...um...take care of that later." He walks into the kitchen and procures two glasses of water, "Let's sit down and talk for a minute." He hands her a glass and moves to the living area where he sinks, cross-legged to the floor.

Dae sits on the couch and shakes her head, "Why do you always sit on the floor?" She pats the cushion next to her, "Plenty of room up here, you know." His eyes flash with a naughty gleam, "The easier to get between your knees, love."

Dae chokes on the water she was drinking and he laughs as he pats her back. "Really, though, it's more comfortable for me down here," he shrugs. "When I sit on most of this cushion-y furniture you humans favor, my knees sit higher than my hips and it's just not comfortable."

Her breathing returns to normal and she nods, "That makes sense. So, what did you want to talk about?"

He takes a sip, "I'm trying to think of how to explain this." He looks away for a moment, the fingers of one hand tapping his knee, his tail twitching nervously. "Ah," he says and gestures at his head. "Obviously, you know about..."

Dae looks confused, "Yeah..."

Niall delicately traces a rune on her arm and she shivers, "And you've developed a tremendous amount of focus in your time." He grins as a slight blush colors his cheeks, "I've been in there, it's as tidy and uncluttered as your space out here. Impressive."

She looks confused but shrugs, "I have to be, right? If I'm not..."

He waves her off, "Oh, I agree completely. It's the only reason I'm pursuing what would otherwise surely be a colossally bad idea." It's clear from the expression on her face that she's becoming more confused.

He scoots a little closer and takes her hand as he curls his tail into his lap, "Trust me?" his earnest green eyes search out hers. Dae arches a brow then nods slowly, "Yes...but..." He takes the glass of water out of her hand, sets it on the table then looks at her again, "I wonder, if your...gift...can be wielded telepathically."

She sits back, not removing her hand, "What do you mean? I can't..." "

I know," he interrupts, "But if I open a door, so to speak, and then another...say, into another mind...do you see what I mean?"

Dae frowns and gets up to pace while she considers the possibility. "Why do you think that would be possible?" she asks.

He remains seated, cognizant that his size tends to be a distraction. "You have to employ a lot of focus to work with these runes, yes?"

She nods and he continues, "That's a lot of mental discipline."

His smile softens, "I actually rather adore the amount of control you exert over...yourself."

She shakes her head, "You're getting off-track."

He points at her, "See? Like that. So! I already know that I can connect two minds together. I'm guessing that you have the proper amount of will to actively participate in that, if you get my meaning."

She cocks her head, "I think so."

He pats the sofa for her to sit and takes her hand again as she complies. "The first thing to try," he begins, "Is for you to make something happen in here," he taps his head.

Dae sits back from him, releasing his hands, "No."

His brows furrow, "We have to start somewhere and we're rather lacking subjects for experimentation," he persists.

Dae grabs her glass of water and gets up to resume her pacing.

He stands as well and leans so he is half-sitting on the back of her couch. His tail twitches nervously as he watches her walk back and forth. "Darling, there's smoke coming out of your ears, what are you thinking?" he inquires.

"How about," she begins, "If I trying something here," she taps her own temple, "first. While you watch?"

He nods in agreement, "Sure. That sounds like an easy enough starting point." He gestures to the couch, "Let's sit."

Dae smiles and agrees. Niall again arranges himself on the floor while Dae finishes her glass of water then sits on the couch. She takes a couple of slow, deep breaths to relax then closes her eyes. "Okay."

Niall closes his eyes and slides into her consciousness. " _Always a pleasure to be in here,_ " he says. He looks around and sees she has set up a space very similar to her own living room, except that there's a fireplace. " _That's new,_ " he muses.

" _It is,_ " she answers. " _I'll be using it for this little exercise."_

He sits on the sofa and hears her silent chuckle, " _What?_ " he asks.

" _It's always so funny how you are smaller in here,"_ she explains. " _It's weird. Sweet that you do it, but still weird."_

He grins and gestures to the fireplace, " _So, on with the show, then?_ "

He feels her nod, " _Of course._ " A long moment passes but nothing happens.

" _I can't,_ " she says in frustration. " _Damn. It was such a good idea, too._ "

He stands and looks around, " _Perhaps try it from more of a third-person perspective?_ "

" _What do you mean?_ " she asks.

" _Well, what if you imagine yourself here, doing it?_ "

" _You think that would work?_ " she sounds skeptical.

" _It's worth a shot, right?_ " he replies.

Niall returns to the couch and waits patiently. After a moment, Dae appears and he smiles. " _You're a fair bit taller in here, love._ "

She returns his smile, " _I like to think I have more presence than my stature allows._ "

His eyes gleam and rake over her in appreciation, " _You certainly do._ " His eyebrows go up, " _And I can see you blush here! This is wonderful!_ "

She laughs, " _We're getting distracted again."_

He shrugs, " _Occupational hazard when it comes to you. Please,_ " he gestures toward the fireplace, " _Carry on._ "

Dae turns to the fireplace and raises her hand. At first, the logs simply begin to glow. Niall sees her bite her lip in concentration as she exerts more of her will. Suddenly, the logs explode in flames that threaten to spill out into the room. She takes a deep breath and wills the flames down to a more reasonable level then turns to him with a grand smile, " _I did it!_ " she exclaims happily.

He claps his hands in applause, " _Well done! Now, let's move forward, shall we?_ "

She looks concerned but he stands and rests a hand on her shoulder. " _Watching you touch me like this...sort of from outside myself...is weird, too,_ " she says.

" _Oh?_ " he looks down at her. " _What weird about it?_ "

" _It's like I'm watching a show on the telly,_ " she answers.

" _Right,_ " he agrees. " _That would be a bit odd. I think the best way to move forward in a way that is most sympathetic to your psyche would for one of us to install a door, here in your Home, that leads to mine. Sort of like one of those adjoining hotel suites. Would that be alright?_ " She agrees and, immediately, a door appears against the wall.

Niall walks to the door then turns to her, " _Not to worry. You will only enter a room I've set up for you to see. I know there's quite a bit of...unpleasantness in here_ ," he taps his head, " _And I've no interest in you getting lost in here._ "

She smiles in relief, " _Thank you._ "

" _Are you ready?_ " he asks. She nods and he opens the door.

Dae steps into Niall's space and laughs, " _It looks like your apartment._ "

" _I thought you'd like that,_ " he grins. The white marble floors are cold on her bare feet as she walks into the space. The floor-to-ceiling windows bathe the room in sunlight and white walls all contribute to the gallery-like feel of the space.

She looks out the window, " _You don't have a tree outside your apartment._ "

He follows her gaze, " _I wish I did, though. They were one of my favorite discoveries when we landed here. My lord enjoys the ocean and Maze likes to walk the alleyways, which are too much like home for my taste._ " He smiles, " _But trees have always drawn me. Especially the really large ones. Comforting, somehow, to see something larger than myself, vibrantly alive and reaching to The Heavens._ "

She cocks her head and steps closer to take his hand, " _You wish to go one day?_ "

He coughs a harsh laugh, " _Of course. Doesn't everyone? But it can never be so._ "

Dae frowns, " _Why?_ "

Niall shrugs as he looks out the window again, " _I am a creature made in Hell. As such, I am exempt from Judgment. There can be no redemption for me._ "

" _If you're not after redemption, then, why aren't you evil?_ "

" _How do you know for certain I'm not?_ " he asks softly.

Her lavender eyes pierce his, " _I know._ " He smiles and puts his hand over his heart, " _Thank you. I've done some horrible things in my time, Dae. Maze and I were with our sire in the dark while he struggled to determine how this whole "eternal damnation" thing would play out for mortal souls. Those first millennia..._ " he pauses. " _Heavenly redemption is beyond me, more assuredly than it's out of my lord's reach, but I have the rest of an almost-immortal life to create peace within myself. I want to be prepared when my...unmaking comes._ "

He claps his hands together, " _Alright! Enough of this maudlin discussion. Let's get on with this, shall we?_ " He gestures to the fireplace, " _Can you light this. Here?_ "

Dae steps toward the fireplace, " _I'll try_ ," she says carefully. " _Step back,_ " she cautions. He does as she asks and watches her focus. As earlier, it starts with glowing embers. His tail twitches excitedly to see his idea may work. Also, as earlier, once she applies more energy, the flames begin to leap from the designated area and take over the wall.

Dae jumps backwards in shock, " _Shit! Oh, crap, Niall!_ " she cries out. " _Help!_ "

He steps up and rests his hand on her back, " _Relax and focus, love._ " He smiles down at her, " _You can do it._ "

After what seems like forever, the flame is eventually controlled then extinguished. Dae looks up at him, pleased but exhausted. " _I need to..._ " he points to the door, " _I understand. I'll join you._ "

After she exits, Niall returns to himself, on the floor in her living room. He watches as she blinks rapidly and slowly comes around. He raises his hand to cup her cheek, "Well done," he says with a smile. "I think we're onto something."

Dae stares at his face and reaches out, concern coloring her eyes, "Your nose is bleeding." Surprised, he reaches up and draws his hand away.

Sure enough, a spot of crimson is on his finger. "This is..." he begins.

"I am so sorry," she interrupts, but he waves her off.

"No, this is wonderful! A _much_ better result than I expected for the first try."

Chloe scrubs a towel over herself after her second shower of the day, then throws on sweats and a t-shirt before padding downstairs. She opens a street map of downtown LA on her floor, then opens up her tablet before rummaging in the kitchen for sandwich makings. Normally, with Trixie out of the house she'd settle for a bowl of cereal, but she's a little extra hungry after the day's workout.

 _I can't believe they were all naked. Good grief._ She can't help smiling around the bite of ham sandwich in her mouth. Millions of years old, so he says, and Lucifer is still so clueless. It's adorable. _Contrary to what Dae said, I don't think I'd ever get used to...that. Might be fun to try, though. Damn, what that man can do with his mouth.._.Shaking herself to stop the direction of that particular line of thought, she returns her attention to the task at hand.

Over the course of the next couple of hours, she marks addresses on the street map, then stands up to look it over. It's a pattern. A spiral that grows tighter and seems to end at a clear point, but what's there? she wonders. She looks at street names in the vicinity of the obvious terminus and feels a sense of dread crawling over her.

She grabs her tablet and types in an address, but she's sure what she's going to find. After seeing confirmation, she runs upstairs to change, grabs her gun, badge and keys then races out the door, not bothering to call.

Lucifer leans against the bar with a drink in hand while he watches the bodies on the dance floor grinding together to the loud music. Saturday night is his favorite - the humans really come out to play and he loves to watch them go about their little mating rituals. Oftentimes, he participates and it's a lovely distraction, but some nights, like this one, he's content to watch and bask in the warmth of this den he's created just for them. He sips his scotch and smiles.

Charlotte stands outside of Lux, eying the line of tightly-dressed humans waiting to get in. She grins at the irony of anyone willing to stand in line for entrance into her eldest son's realm. She saunters to the door and the bouncer puts a hand on her arm to stop her. A quick look into his eyes has him letting her go as if she were on fire, and he quickly lets her in.

She steps into the dark club and lingers on the balcony at the top of the stairs, surveying the scene. Beautiful humans writhe together on the dark dance floor. _Of course his home on this plane is a place for people to gather and fornicate._ Charlotte licks her red lips and taps her fingernails on the railing as she continues to look around. _There_. Her smile turns feral and her posture becomes more languid. Sinuous. She tosses her long blonde hair as she slowly descends.

Lucifer feels a subtle shift in the air and looks expectantly at the stairs, only to see Charlotte coming toward him. _Wonderful._ He wills himself to remain relaxed against the bar and tosses back the rest of his drink before carefully placing the glass on the counter behind him. She saunters up to him, a dangerous smile on her face.

Without saying a word, she presses a hard kiss on Lucifer's mouth. He remains still until he grows tired of her aggression and bites her lip hard enough to draw blood. She draws back in pain and shock. "You son of a bitch," she snarls as she slaps him hard across the face. Lucifer smirks and gives an insolent shrug in spite of the red welt raising on his cheek, "Indeed. Long time no see. How are you, Charlotte? You're a bit more cleaned up than the last time I saw you."

Chloe parks the cruiser in the alley behind Lux and hurries to the front of the line, ignoring protests of the people waiting for entry. The bouncer waves her in and she looks around, trying to find Lucifer. She locates him at the bar, being kissed by a tall blonde who then pulls back and slaps him hard. The detective moves carefully down the stairs.

Lucifer rubs his cheek and notices Chloe approaching from the stairs with an expression of concern on her face. He stands straight, "Detective! So good of you to come by this evening." Chloe's eyes shoot daggers at the taller woman, who responds with an arched brow as she obviously looks the detective over.

Chloe knows her partner well enough to tell from the gleaming black of his eyes that he's nervous and stressed. The other clues are the red mark on his face and blood on the woman's lip. "Is there a problem here, Mr. Morningstar?" She frowns at Charlotte, "I saw this woman hit you."

Lucifer laughs and waves her off, "Just a little family reunion, Detective, nothing to get excited about." Chloe gives him a hard look, "Right." He looks at her, "Detective, I'd like to introduce you to Charlotte, my mother. Mum, this is Detective Chloe Decker."

Charlotte simpers as she leans closer to Lucifer, "Hello, Chloe," she purrs. The detective nods politely, schooling her face to remain as neutral as possible, _think of Home_ , "It's a pleasure to meet you." She looks back at Lucifer, "If you're busy, we can talk later."

He nods in agreement, "Yes, that's good. Oh, and please ask your partner, _Detective Black_ to ring me. I have that information he asked for." Chloe nods as she turns to leave, "Sure thing." She nods to Charlotte, "Welcome to LA, ma'am."

Charlotte watches Chloe walk away then turns to see Lucifer doing the same thing, "Fucking that one, too?" she asks. He arches a brow and looks down his razor-straight nose, "Hardly. There was a murder outside my club and she's the investigating officer." Charlotte strokes the lapel of Lucifer's jacket, "So why's she here? It seems outside usual business hours."

Lucifer turns his back and pours three fingers of another drink for himself. He doesn't offer one to her. He takes a sip then turns around, "I don't know, Mother, why don't you tell me? You're the telepath," he spits the word. "Perhaps she needed more information."

Charlotte hums thoughtfully, "I guess." He frowns down at her, "Why are _you_ here? You're out now, why are you bothering me? Certainly there are other...entertainments you can find?" She pouts up at him, "I missed you, darling. You left me all alone with those miserable beasts," she whines.

He remains silent as she continues. "I thought to come find you. Bring you back to be with me where you belong, but after being here a little bit, I've decided I like it." Although her smile brightens, it somehow becomes more sinister, "I've decided to stay. And we can be together again, isn't that wonderful?"

Lucifer says nothing. He doesn't even look at her, he simply takes a pull of his scotch. She changes her expression, widening her eyes and raising her eyebrows a bit as she leans in, "It'll be like it was before, darling. Without Him telling us what to do - or not do, as the case always seemed to be."

She runs her hand along his side, down his hip and over the top of his thigh, and he steps away, glaring. "Stop touching me," he growls. "I don't know what you thought you'd find by coming to this place, but it's not here."

She smirks and moves forward, "You're so cute when you try to resist me, Sammael. But you've never been particularly good at it. Mummy always gets what she wants."

He finds himself unable to move as she leans up and places another kiss on his lips. He closes his eyes and tries to imagine other things. Anything aside from this lingering, gentle and utterly horrific feeling reaching its fingers into his very soul.


	16. Destruction

Maze returns from the storeroom to see Chloe walking away from Lucifer and leave. She notes the woman's posture is exceptionally stiff and turns her attention to her boss as he leans against the bar. Maze notices that his posture is surprisingly ill-at-ease as well. _Trouble in Paradise, perhaps?_ she snickers to herself. _Milton was actually a lot of fun to drink with. Wonder where he is in the recycling schedule._

Maze focuses her hearing on Lucifer and the blonde encroaching into his personal space while she restocks the bar. "It'll be like it was before, darling. Without Him telling us what to do - or not do, as the case always seemed to be." _Holy shit, is that...?_

Maze glances up to see the woman running her hands over Lucifer. She takes in the disgust on his face and registers the fury in his voice. "Stop touching me," she hears him growl. "I don't know what you thought you'd find by coming to this place, but it's not here."

The woman smirks and moves forward, "You're so cute when you try to resist me, Samael. But you've never been particularly good at it. Mummy always gets what she wants." _FUCK!_ Maze reaches under the bar for her cell and quickly sends a text to Niall. _Lux - 911._

Maze watches as the woman leans up to kiss Lucifer. He closes his eyes and it's obvious he doesn't want to be there. _Why doesn't he pull away? Shove her off. Something?_

Charlotte draws back from Lucifer and looks up at him as her hands stroke his chest through his shirt. He scowls back down at her, "Are you quite finished? I have a bar to run."

She pouts, "Now you're just being cruel. Like your father." Lucifer gives her a sharp look and she grins in triumph, _That always goads him._ She dips carefully into his conscious mind and gives a gentle push to influence him, "Now, come on. Sit with me and talk." She raises her eyebrows as she plays with the top button of his shirt, "I've missed you, darling."

Lucifer rolls his eyes and huffs, "Fine. Then will you go away?" She grabs his hand and and he looks back at Maze, "Bring a bottle, please, Maze." Charlotte drags him to a table and sits across from him. He leans back and gives her an insolent look, "What the bloody Hell do you want?"

She smiles as she looks around Lux, "I want to be here. With you. It was so lonely in that wretched darkness." Maze brings a full bottle of scotch and sets it on the table with two glasses. Charlotte points at her, "I see you brought someone with you."

Lucifer shrugs as he pours, "You don't imagine I would venture amongst human unattended, do you? More unpredictable than demons, this lot. Lucky for me, Maze is quite capable of looking out for...my interests."

Charlotte sighs as she sucks down her drink, "It must be nice, having someone watch out for you." Another heavy sigh, "I wouldn't know."

Lucifer laughs and the sound is devoid of humor, "You broke out of Hell, drag yourself to my club, and _this_ is what you do? You whine about having to endure the consequences of your actions?" he takes another drink, sits back in his seat and shakes his head while gesturing dismissively toward the dance floor. "You're free. Dance! Celebrate! I'm sure anyone over there would be happy to have a go."

She leans forward onto the table and rubs her foot against his leg, "I don't want them."

He sits up straighter and draws away, "No, thank you. I'm unavailable, I'm afraid."

Charlotte arches a brow, "Oh? You've taken a mortal lover?"

He smirks, "Many. But, no, that's not the reason." Lucifer finishes his drink then pours another round for them both, "What happened to you, Mum? All those millennia ago? You used to be kind. You were generous and, dare I say, caring. Why did you...fall?"

He imagines her eyes well for a moment, but he knows better, so he simply waits for her response. Charlotte looks sad, "He always loved you more, Samael."

Lucifer frowns, "Stop calling me that."

She rolls her eyes, "Fine, _Lucifer_. It wasn't fair. I was supposed to be his companion. I was the only female archangel...created to be his wife and a mother for you and all your brothers." Her face twists into a mask of anger, "But it was always about you. He neglected me because of _you_."

Lucifer arches a brow, "Untrue," he flatly replies.

She barks a harsh laugh then sips her scotch, " _And_ you have always been blind."

His eyebrows slant angrily, "You forget I also fell. What of that, hmm?" Lucifer finishes his drink, "All because I questioned His great plan and my role in it." He stares at his hands as they grip the empty glass. "For that, he cast out his _favorite son_ ," he spits the last part in disgust.

Charlotte snarls at him from across the table, "He gave you a job to do. It's not His fault you were greedy and ungrateful. Still are, if you ask me." She smirks, "How like these humans you've always been." She pauses to finish her own drink, "He took my wings, Lucifer. Removed me from mortal memory and made me your ward," she hisses. "I was tortured by your demons. I will have recompense."

He laughs outright, " _You_ were tortured? And what, exactly, _Mother_ , do you call those first few millennia after we arrived in Hell together? As we broach the topic of reparations, shall we also talk about how I can possibly be made whole after your depravity?"

Her mouth drops open as her face flushes in anger. " _Depravity_? Is that what our time together was to you? I lov..."

"Stop," he growls.

"But..." she begins, but is cut short by him slashing his hand through the air.

"No. You took advantage of my state at the time. It started innocent enough. A reassuring touch here. A hug there. You said we needed each other and I was too shattered to disagree. But then...it descended into unspeakable things." His eyes blaze red and he clenches his jaw, "That was bad enough, but then you sought to control me when I lacked the will to stop you. Father never commanded that I lock you away." His voice shakes with emotion, "I did it of my own volition."

She opens her mouth as if to protest then stops and looks toward the door as she senses another non-human presence.

" _Sire_?" Niall quickly descends the stairs, the lash of his tail largely hidden by the dark of the club. Lucifer smiles then tosses back his drink, " _Steady, love. Let's try not to cause a scene around the mortals. Don't want them to get hurt._ "

Charlotte narrows her eyes as she takes in the interloper, "Who have we here, darling? Another fugitive from home?" She reaches out to Niall telepathically, but all she finds is an empty living room. " _How interesting_ ," she says silently. " _You seem to have talent and thought to control what I see in here._ " He nods, " _Correct._ "

Lucifer gestures, "Yes, this is Niall; he also accompanied me. Niall, this is Charlotte. My mother." The demon smiles as he politely nods his head, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Charlotte."

She smiles indulgently then turns to Lucifer, "Such manners on this one." Her smile grows more predatory as her eyes travel over him, "You trained him well. I wonder how far those manners extend." Lucifer makes a motion for her to stay, "Apologies, my dear, but let's just say you are not to his taste." Her eyes widen, "Oh?"

Niall shrugs and smiles, but he says nothing, so Charlotte takes another dip into his consciousness. This time, Niall treats her to rather graphic images of mortal men in various intimate positions. Her eyebrows go up as her eyes widen slightly, "I see." She smirks at Lucifer, "I suppose he services you as well? You never could make up your mind. It's disgusting."

Lucifer rises from the table and motions for Charlotte to do the same. "But seducing your distraught son is okay? Time for you to leave."

She remains seated and has the nerve to look angry as Maze and Niall stand on either side of Lucifer, "Don't do something you'll regret, Lucifer." He laughs, "A touch late for that where you're concerned."

She stands and looks at all three of them, "We could work together," her gaze stops on Lucifer, "You can finally get revenge for being wronged so long ago." Lucifer shakes his head, "Just go."

Niall smiles, flashing his canines, and his tail lashes as he looks down at Charlotte, "You heard the my lord. Let's go without a fuss, shall we?"

She arches a brow as she looks Niall over. _They care about these useless mortals._ She examines Lucifer's thoughts for a moment and is surprised to see the woman she met earlier figuring prominently. _It seems he's recalling a memory of them sitting at a piano._ She notes the feeling of longing attached to the memory. _Fascinating._

She smiles and shrugs at the trio around her, "Fine. I'll go for now," she pouts then points a finger up at Lucifer, "Think about what I said. We can get revenge together."

For his answer, Lucifer picks up the bottle of scotch, turns his back and walks away without another word, leaving Niall and Maze to escort Charlotte to the door. He walks to the private elevator and disappears into his apartment.

Niall gestures for Charlotte to move along. She huffs and storms up the stairs with the demon behind her to make sure she finds the door.

Chloe returns to Lux as the club is closing for the morning and is stopped by Maze before she gets down the stairs. "You don't want to go up there," she cautions. The detective frowns, "Is..she...?" Maze shakes her head. "No, we ran her off hours ago. He went upstairs and hasn't been down since. It's best to leave him alone when he's angry."

"Where's Niall?" Chloe asks.

"He's keeping watch outside to make sure Charlotte stays gone," Maze replies.

Chloe steps toward the elevator and the demon blocks her path, "I said you need to leave him alone."

"Unless you plan to come at me with your daggers, Maze, step aside," Chloe challenges.

Maze holds her ground another moment before relenting, "Fine, but I'm not coming up there to save your ass if you piss him off even more."

The detective gives a curt nod, "Duly noted. Wish me luck."

Maze smirks, "You'll need more than that," and walks away.

Chloe takes the elevator up and cautiously steps into the dark apartment. Enough light is cast off the city for her to see her way around if she looks hard enough. Loathe to disturb the silence, she slowly inches past the piano. Even the amber lighting behind the bar is turned off. A breeze calls her attention to the doors that have been drawn open, making the space feel more like a raptor's aerie than the penthouse apartment of one of Los Angeles' most notorious playboys.

 _Maybe he's out flying_ , she thinks. As she turns toward the patio, she sees a pair of glowing red eyes watching her from the dark. The height of the eyes indicates he is seated. "Why are you here, Detective?" he asks. His voice is hoarse and low. She can hear the exhaustion and pain as he speaks. Even so, the hair on the back of her neck stands up and every instinct screams at her to grab her gun and shoot until she's out of bullets.

Chloe takes a cautious step forward, as if she were approaching a dangerous animal, and raises a shaking hand with the palm down, "I wanted to make sure you're okay. You weren't answering your phone," she replies with a lot more calm that she felt.

The unrelenting stare never blinks, "Why do you care?" She closes her eyes for a moment and takes a slow, deep breath. _Patience._ She opens her eyes again, squares her shoulders and holds his gaze, "Because we're friends, Lucifer. I don't know what happened after I left, but that hasn't changed. That won't ever change."

He coughs a sharp laugh, "Don't make promises to the Devil, my dear. Especially promises you won't be able to keep." Chloe stands a little straighter and gives him an irritated look, "What makes you think I won't be able to keep it?"

The eyes move as Lucifer apparently stands then begins to circle her, "Because I'm The Devil, darling. The universal target for betrayal." She huffs and rolls her eyes, "You should know me better than that by now. Turn a light on and we can talk about it."

He continues to move around her, "Are you afraid of the dark, Detective?"

"Should I be?" she asks, internally cursing the tremble in her voice.

Lucifer is suddenly immediately behind her, so close she can feel the heat of his body as he leans close to her ear, "Terrible things happen in the dark. It's not safe for you here."

Chloe turns quickly and finds herself face to face with him and the glowing coals that have replaced his eyes, "I'm in no danger." She cocks her head, "What happened to you in the dark, Lucifer? You're safe now."

The red eyes blink and she feels him step back. The red disappears altogether and she can just make out the shadow of him running a hand through his hair. She hears him drawing a ragged breath, "You assume much," he rasps.

"But I'm not wrong," Chloe answers. She reaches out and, finding his arm, gives him a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. We don't even have to talk at all." Chloe walks toward the bar, grabs a bottle and removes the spigot. She takes his hand and leads him to the patio where she offers him the bottle before sitting down on an enormous pool chaise. He takes a long pull then passes it back before sitting next to her.

They sit staring at the city lights, wordlessly passing the bottle back and forth as they lean against each other. After a while, Chloe squints at the bottle and sees it's almost empty. She waves it back and forth, "Damn, you can put this stuff away."

Lucifer's eyebrows go up then he, too, squints at the bottle, "Ssso it would ssseem." He stands and immediately sits down, a startled look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Chloe asks, concerned.

Lucifer frowns then squints at her, "...dizzy. Room...ssspinning."

Chloe laughs at the befuddled expression on his face, "Lucifer, are you drunk?"

He looks horrified at the very idea, "The Devil does not get drunk, DehTEHctive." She bursts out laughing and he can't help but smile with delight at the sound.

He leans in with another look, "What's ssso funny?"

Chloe points and giggles, "You are."

He draws back, brows furrowed, and she giggles harder at the expression on his face as he tries to _think_ after consuming most of a bottle of scotch. _Bloody Hell._ Helpless with laughter, she falls back on the chaise. Seeing his chance, he leans over, effectively pinning her down.

She wiggles in a vain attempt to get away, "Let me up, Lucifer."

He gives her toothy, drunken grin, "Don't think so, darling. What's the magic word?"

"Please?" she asks.

He snickers and shakes his head, "Nnnope!"

Chloe wiggles again, "Pretty please?"

Lucifer lowers his head to nuzzle her ear, "Mmmm. Incorrect."

Her heart threatens to eject itself from her chest, "Lucifer," she says in a husky whisper.

She feels him smile against her jaw, "Yesss, Cah-loh-ee?" he purrs. _Oh God help me_ , she thinks.

Chloe turns her face toward him and he draws back just enough for her to feel his breath on her mouth. She can feel his gaze on her lips and she smiles, "Monkey bottoms?"

He laughs as he flings himself back onto the chaise, releasing her from his weight. "You're too clever for me, my dear. You win," he declares. He closes his eyes and is silent for such a long time, Chloe thinks he's fallen asleep. Then he sighs, "I think we cared about each other once," he says quietly. "Your mother?" she asks.

Lucifer sits up without looking at her and leans forward with his elbows on his knees, "Yes. We were cast out together and sought comfort, if you will. That was in the beginning, at least." He stares at his hands for a long moment, "Then things changed. She grew...insatiable. Controlling. Her anger grew until it finally consumed her." He stands up and walks to stare down into the calm turquoise water of the pool, "I...she gave me no choice."

Chloe rises from the chaise and steps forward to take his hand, "What did you have to do?"

He looks down at her, his eyes pitch black in the dim light of the patio, " _I_ locked her away. Father never commanded it. She...went mad." Chloe gives his hand a gentle squeeze, "You did what you had to, Lucifer. You had to protect yourself."

Lucifer looks down at her, an expression of wonder on his face, "Who are you, Detective?" She cocks her head, "What do you mean?" He gives a soft laugh, "I mean everything. Bleeding. Showing restraint. Friendship. And I've certainly never been bloody intoxicated before. What a fascinating sensation. It's like I'm flying and not." He looks down at the pool and laughs, "I feel like stripping naked and going for a swim - but you're not likely to appreciate that."

Lucifer looks back at Chloe and steps closer, bringing his hand to her cheek, "I don't know what to do with you." He steps back again and throws his arms wide, "And I don't know what to do with _her_." He gestures toward the elevator, "She came here tonight and said she...misses me. Us. I refused, then she asked Niall, Maze, and I if we wanted to help her in an assault on Heaven." Chloe's eyebrows climb to the middle of her forehead, "That can't be good."

Lucifer shakes his head, "We refused that as well, I assure you. We're frustrated and more than a bit put out, but we're not stupid." She tries not to smile, "That's reassuring." He looks askance at her and she shrugs an apology.

"We should definitely move forward with the rest of our preparations," Chloe says. "I've already spoken to Dae about the henna. It's going to be an all-day process between putting it on and letting it dry." His eyes light up and she stops him as he opens his mouth, "No, you can't come watch," she chuckles.

Lucifer pouts for a split second before chuckling softly, "I get marks for consistency, right?" Chloe can't help the smile on her face which is, unfortunately interrupted by a cavernous yawn, "Oh, sorry." "It's alright, Detective," he says as he draws her to him. She closes her eyes and reciprocates as he wraps his arms around her. "Lucifer?" she asks. "Yes, my dear," he responds. "You feel really nice like this," she murmurs sleepily. His body shakes as he chuckles, "Why, thank you." He kisses the top of her head, "Quite the coincidence, that. So do you."

Chloe snuggles into his chest for a moment and he gives her gentle squeeze, "Come on. Let's get you tucked in." She barely opens her eyes as he takes her hand and leads her off the patio. She is surprised and touched that he brings her to the guest room. As they approach the door, she leans up on her tip-toes and kisses his cheek, "Good-night, Lucifer. Sleep well." He gives her another chaste peck on the top of her head, "Good-night to you, love. See you in the morning."


	17. Tighten Up

Lucifer sits playing his piano as dawn's light overtakes the night sky. He watches the colors dance and blend together as his fingers travel over the keys by memory. The elevator opens and he smiles, "Hello, Niall."

The demon steps into the room, and he approaches the piano bench, "Good morning, sire," he says as he sits down with a tired sigh. "Charlotte finally disappeared, but I don't know where she went."

Lucifer gives a half shrug, "Does it really matter? We know she'll return eventually." He nods toward the guest room, "The detective will visit Dae later to get started on the markings. You, Maze and I should see what we can find out about where our fugitive is hiding out and if she has any help."

Niall nods in agreement, "I need to eat anyway, so I'll go out now to do the initial scouting." He stands and makes to leave, then he turns and looks toward the guest room. He chuckles softly as he points down the hall, "You should maybe be in there when she wakes up, my lord."

Lucifer's face lights up, "Oh? Anything juicy or salacious I should know about?" Niall grins back at him, "I'll just say that I need to get the hell out of here."

"Right!" Lucifer answers cheerfully as he shoos Niall to the elevator. "Off you pop, then. Go on. I'll ring you later. Hopefully _much_ later," he grins. Niall shakes his head and he smiles, _You poor soul_. "Later, then," he replies as he leaves.

Lucifer walks to the door of the guest room and silently opens the door. He leans against the frame and watches Chloe sleep. Her hair fans out under her head, her lips are parted and her face is lightly flushed. _Would that I had an iota of Niall's talent_ , Lucifer thinks to himself. Chloe squirms on the bed in an attempt to get comfortable and Lucifer takes the opportunity to slide in next to her, still fully dressed.

Still asleep, she responds immediately by snuggling up to him and burying her face in his chest. She smiles and sighs softly as she falls back into deep sleep, her arm wrapping around his slender waist and holding him still. He looks down and smiles gently at how this woman doesn't even have to be awake to completely take him over. Releasing a sigh of his own, he wraps his arms around her and holds her close. Kissing the top of her head, he closes his eyes for a bit of rest.

Chloe rouses to find herself wrapped tight in a pair of strong arms and pulled close against a very warm body. She cracks her eyes open to see rolled up sleeves and a pair of graceful hands in front of her face. She inhales slowly and smiles, _He always smells so wonderful._ A surprise, if one considers his drinking, smoking, and that he practically lives in a sweaty dance club.

She snuggles closer and the arms tighten correspondingly. She is also rewarded with a gravelly purr and a kiss on top of her head. She chuckles softly and the owner of the arms growls, "Be still." In spite of the tone of the voice, other evidence presents itself that not all of him is as sleepy as he sounds. A naughty grin slides across her face as she squirms against him strategically. Her efforts are rewarded with a nip on her ear. _Oh, it's on_ , she smiles wider as her hand gently strokes his thigh. "Detective," he rumbles above her, "I never would have thought you were a...morning person." Instead of answering, she lifts one of his beautiful hands and sucks on his fingers.

Lucifer's eyes are wide as Chloe's wet mouth surrounds each of his fingers in turn, gently nibbling and sucking on each digit. His eyes close in bliss and he can't stop the sigh of pleasure that escapes his lips. As she lavishes attention on one hand, his other is busy stroking her shoulder and neck as he turns slightly to press against her, leaving no doubt of his appreciation of her attention. She smirks as she runs her tongue along his palm, enjoying his gasp and subsequent shudder of pleasure,"And I had no idea your hands are so sensitive," she replies with a throaty chuckle.

Chloe suddenly finds herself hauled up to face a very aroused King of Hell. "Minx," he growls as he descends for a searing kiss. His tongue dances with hers, happily trading dominance as she gives as good as she gets. She finally pulls away for air and grins at the expression of absolute need on his face. "Chloe," his whisper is hoarse and the desperate question in his impossibly dark eyes is clear.

Her smile softens as she sits up to face him and strokes his cheek. Lucifer closes his eyes as he presses against her hand, turning his head to nuzzle her palm. She turns her hand under his chin, raising it so his eyes meet hers, and arches her brow as she holds his gaze, "I don't share," she states firmly.

His dark eyes sparkle as a mischievous smile lights his face, "You would lay in The Devil's own bed and demand monogamy? Cheeky, indeed." Lucifer returns to laying kisses on her wrist, enjoying her obvious shiver, "You realize that is a gift I've never given, yes? In all the history of time? Over the course of thousands of lovers?"

Chloe rolls her eyes, "History lessons kind of kill the mood, don't you think?" Lucifer grins, "What? I thought these days, in the interest of protecting one's health, you're supposed to disclose your previous...activity, so to speak. Come on, then. Tell me, love. Certainly you've turned the block a time or two?" She blushes and looks down, "I really don't want to talk about it." He pauses for a moment then his mouth drops open, "Truly?" Chloe's blush deepens and she refuses to look at him. "Only Dan? Oh, that's truly a crime, you poor thing," he continues in spite of her obvious discomfort. "I've never thought you to be particularly prudish. Why?" he asks.

She glares at him, "Because I wanted to wait, okay? Sex for me is something to share with someone I lo..."

 _Oh_ , he raises his eyebrows as he feels a sudden lurching sensation in his chest. She quickly catches herself, "...um...care about a lot." She pauses and looks him in the eye, "And I need to know that feeling is shared." Chloe's expression grows sad, "I realize it isn't the same for you because...well...maybe we should just forget it."

She moves to climb off the bed then suddenly finds herself pinned to the mattress with Lucifer looming over her, "One caveat," he says as his eyes fix themselves to her lips.

"What?" she asks, her voice shaking.

"Niall," he replies. "But only as necessary."

"No sex," she counters.

He nods, "Agreed. No shagging," his voice drops an octave as a sinful smile graces his face. "Do we have a deal, Detective?"

"I'm not one of your deals, Lucifer," she huffs. "This is a promise, from you, freely given."

He looks down at her and blinks, obviously processing. "And this promise will enable me to have sex with you?"

She nods, "Yes."

"And if I renege, that will no longer be the case?"

She nods again, "Right."

He frowns, "And if you decide you no longer wish to have sex with me...although I can't imagine why you would do that...I am then free to have sex with others?"

"Yes," she replies.

"How is this not a deal?" he asks, confusion written all over his face. "I'm giving you something you want, this promise, and you're giving me something I want by having sex with me. If either of us changes our minds, the...arrangement is void."

She rolls her eyes, _I cannot believe I have to explain this_ , "Have you ever cared for someone before? In a...romantic...sort of way?"

He frowns again, "Well, no. Now that you bring it up."

Her eyebrows shoot up, "You've never...been...um...in love?"

He huffs as if the question offends, "Why would I, Detective? I'm The Devil. What use have I had for such a thing? I wouldn't even know how it feels, so if I did, I'd be completely unaware, and that might not be bad considering how stupid it seems to make you humans."

Her mouth drops open for a moment, then she starts laughing, _Oh damn. I cannot be the one to point this out to him_. He sits up, allowing her to get off the bed, "Does my inexperience in this area amuse you, Detective?" he pouts, ignoring the horrible feeling that he's somehow disappointed her.

She chuckles again and leans in to kiss his cheek, "I think you should go see Linda." She exits the guest room with him hot on her heels.

"But I thought we were going to have sex!" he calls after her.

She laughs again and shakes her head as she grabs her keys, "Not right now. Go talk to Linda, tell her about this conversation, then call me after you've thought things over." She pushes the button as he catches her and tries to kiss her but she puts a staying hand on his chest, "Later. I'm going to see Dae and you go see Linda. I'll call you later."

"But..." he protests as she enters the elevator.

"Bye, Lucifer," she waves as the door closes then leans heavily against the wall of the elevator with a big grin on her face.


	18. Too Close

Thirty minutes later, Chloe arrives at Dae's apartment. The smaller woman asks her to remove her shoes then invites her in, "You seem happy this morning, Chloe."

The detective smiles, "I think I am." Dae smiles back, "Good. Come in and have some tea, then we'll get started."

Chloe waves her off, "No thanks. I'm fine with water."

Dae walks into the kitchen and begins filling a teapot then setting it on the stove, "The tea is necessary for the process."

Chloe cocks her head, "Why?"

"It makes your energy easier for me to access so I can do the runes correctly and in the proper place," Dae explains.

The detective nods as she walks forward, "I suppose that makes sense." She arches a brow and looks a touch guilty, "Does it taste gross?"

Dae laughs, "I don't think so. It's much better than green tea, I can promise you that."

Chloe laughs, "Thank goodness. I can't believe people drink that stuff. Ew."

Dae walks into the living room where a tattooing chair is set up. A table is nearby with various bottles and containers. "This will be the work station," she says. "The chair can transform into a table so we can mark your back if necessary."

Chloe looks at the chair, "You don't know what you're going to do yet?"

Dae shakes her head, "Not yet. You're going to tell me after you drink your tea."

The detective blinks, "But I don't know anything about..."

"I'll read your energy after you drink the tea," Dae explains. "That will tell me what you need and where you need it."

Chloe nods, "Oooh. Got it."

The kettle whistles and Dae pours the boiling water into two large mugs, dropping an infuser into each. She hands the red mug and saucer to Chloe then picks up the purple ones for herself, "Make sure you don't drink mine," she warns then gestures for the detective to join her in the living room. "Let's get to know each other while we drink."

Chloe shrugs and sits down, "What do you need to know?" she asks. Dae sits back on her sofa with a warm smile, "This isn't an interrogation, Chloe. How about I start?" The detective nods and sits back, clearly still unsure, "Okay, go ahead."

Dae smiles as she bobs her infuser in her steaming mug, "Perhaps if I start at the beginning, you'll feel more at ease with...my experience with this sort of thing." Chloe nods but says nothing.

"My mother, and her mother before her, were _Mayya_ , or witches, for our village in what is now Nigeria. Four hundred years ago, Lucifer took from them all physical record of the runecraft I practice."

Chloe frowns, "Are you saying...?"

Dae nods, "Yes, child. I am four hundred and five years old. I was a young girl when it happened. My mother and grandmother spent the rest of their lives teaching me everything they knew."

Dae gestures at Chloe's cup, "That's steeped long enough." Chloe removes the infuser and sets the saucer aside then raises the mug for a cautious sip. "This is actually pretty good," she reports with surprise. The smaller woman chuckles, "I try."

Chloe frowns and points at Dae, "So, how is it that you're...four hundred and five years old?"

"In addition to the things I was taught, I did some exploration on my own," she explains. "I found information that allowed me to extend my life beyond what is normal."

"When we first met you, you and Lucifer seemed to have a rather heated conversation," Chloe begins. "Was that about what happened?"

Dae nods, "It was." She sips her tea before continuing, "I've spent my entire life hating him and trying to figure out how I was going to avenge my people. Some of the lore was truly lost because of what he did. Protections were gone and people died." Dae looks at the floor with a thoughtful expression, "I've had a long time to be angry, and I'm tired."

Chloe nods and sips her tea as well, "Niall said you saw him in the market and followed him home."

Dae laughs, a surprisingly deep and hearty sound coming from such a small woman. "I did. I saw him and immediately knew he had to be connected to _Shaidan_. It looked like my time for revenge was finally going to come."

"Did Niall literally change your mind?" the detective asks.

Dae shakes her head, "Not my mind," she taps her temple. "My heart," she taps her heart and her smile grows.

Chloe cocks her head, "But he's a demon. He's supposed to be...I don't know...evil, right?"

Dae arches a brow, "What is your definition of evil, Chloe?"

The detective shrugs, "Someone that enjoys hurting others. Hurts innocent people and destroys things on purpose. Ignores laws, wreaks havoc and doesn't care about the consequences." Another sip of tea, "Stuff like that."

Dae nods, "Not too far off from my own definition. I care more about balance and order, but yeah." She smiles wistfully, "Niall is decidedly not evil. On the contrary, he is kind and you really quite gentle. Maze, though seems quite the opposite."

Dae stops and sits forward, the expression on her face as if she's suddenly realized something. "Just a minute."

Chloe also sits forward and takes another sip of tea, "What is it?"

Dae cocks her head and thinks for a long moment. "Tell me about Lucifer. Just...how you've experienced him as a person here."

Chloe frowns, "Well, he's impulsive and doesn't seem especially concerned about consequences. Sometimes I can't believe he's a successful businessman because I swear he's an 18-year old most of the time. He's generous but doesn't want anybody to know. And kind in an odd sort of way. Honest. So. Damned Honest. Oh my God," she laughs.

"And, of course, it always seems to come at the completely wrong time, but it's refreshing. He's violent sometimes - usually when he feels justice needs to be served or when he needs information out of someone - but I feel safe with him." She stops and thinks some more, "In all of that, though, he's so very much a gentleman." She stops and looks at Dae, "Does all of that make any sense? There's so much contradiction."

Dae gives a broad grin, "It makes perfect sense and, after meeting Maze, I get it now." She finishes her tea and sets the mug down on the table next to the sofa. "Look at Niall and Maze as halves of a whole. He is gentle and polite. She is forceful and abrupt. Both are honest - whether you want them to be or not. Aside from the fact that they both have dark hair, they are almost complete opposites." She cocks her head and pauses thoughtfully, "As if, together, they comprise most of Lucifer's qualities. Two sides of a coin, if you will."

Chloe nods, feeling surprisingly relaxed, "Yeah. That's kind of cool. I wonder if he made them that way on purpose." She thinks for a moment then shakes her head with a chuckle, "Unlikely. I'd guess it was another one of those 'unintended consequences' that tend to bite him in the ass when he least expects it."

"You seem to know him well. Have you been lovers for long?" Dae inquires.

Chloe's eyes fly wide open, "No. I mean...we haven't...um..."

Dae grins, "Yet."

The detective blushes furiously, "Yeah."

Dae gives her a look, "Why not? Certainly you're not blind. He's beautiful."

Chloe rolls her eyes, "He is...you should see him with wings," she mutters.

Dae's eyes fly open, "Wings?"

Chloe grins, "Yeah. They're gorgeous - like the rest of him. But...there's more to him than all that. He's...It's..." she pauses. "Complicated."

The smaller woman nods, "Trust me. I understand completely."

Dae smiles and gets up, crossing the space to kneel in front of Chloe. "Give me your hands, dear," she says. Chloe complies and Dae closes her eyes for a moment. She takes a slow, deep breath and releases it equally slowly while opening her eyes. Chloe inhales sharply to see the smaller woman's eyes are almost white as she looks her over for a long moment. Dae closes her eyes and takes another deep breath. When she opens them, her eyes have returned to their normal lavender.

"So," Chloe asks. "What's the plan?"

Dae stands up and walks to the table, "The plan is for you to take your clothes off. I'll put the chair down flat so you can lay down comfortably. Then, after I mix some ingredients, we can get started. After I'm done, it needs to dry completely. It will take hours. Once the gel dries, it will start to flake off. If you don't have to go to bed or put clothes on, it's best to wait until it starts peeling off - it will last longer that way. Then you need to come by every couple of weeks for me to touch it up - until the danger is passed, of course. Then you can just let it all fade away."

Chloe smirks, "At the risk of sounding like Lucifer, this sounds boring."

Dae laughs, "It can be. I usually meditate during the drying process."

The detective gives her a pointed look, "Like, relax?"

Dae nods, "Yes."

Chloe makes an indelicate sound, "Great. I'm _sooo_ good at that," she says sarcastically.

Dae laughs again, "Let's get started. I can make it any color you like without altering the properties..."

Lucifer yanks open the door to Linda's office and is brought up short when he nearly runs down another patient. "Oh, hello again, George," he offers a tight smile. "Don't suppose you're done for the day are you, lad?" The young man nod, his curly mop bouncing on his head, "Sure am, Lucifer. She's all yours," George smiles and blushes as he recalls the scene the last time Lucifer burst in on his therapy session.

Lucifer steps back and gestures for George to continue on his way, "Marvelous. Don't let me stop you, then. Off you go."

Linda welcomes Lucifer into her office and closes the door, "You seem agitated, Lucifer. Have you been kicked out of Chloe's house again?" He waves dismissively as he begins to pace, "No. It's not that," he begins. "Quite the opposite, really. She was at mine." Linda grins, "Did you kick her out?"

"No!" he retorts before seeing her expression. "Oh," he says as he looks up, "That was some sort of joke. Right. Sorry love, not much humor at the moment. Chloe actually suggested I come over."

"Lucifer, why don't you sit down and tell me about it," Linda offers as she takes her own advice. She sits back and crosses her legs and he takes his place on the edge of her sofa. "So," she begins, "I haven't seen you for a few weeks. How are you?"

He looks as if he's about to crack off one of his usual witticisms then stops himself, looking down at his tented hands. "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. This...what do you humans call it?...a roller coaster? The up and down of these... _feelings_..." he touches his forehead for a moment then looks at her. "How do you all not go mad from it?"

Linda sits forward, "Let's start from the last time we spoke then move forward from there, is that okay?" she asks. Lucifer nods and motions for her to continue. "The last time you were here, we talked about what happened around Trixie's kidnapping. I put Chloe in contact with a child psychologist to help with nightmares, and made a recommendation for Chloe herself."

The therapist cocks her head, "But you haven't been back since you told me that you were shot and then able to subdue Malcolm until Chloe shot him."

Lucifer nods, a bored expression on his face, "Yes, Doctor, I've been over that with everyone. Would you believe the bloody paperwork I had to fill out at the police station before they would let me go?" He rolls his eyes.

Dr. Martin continues, "Sooo...what's been happening in the weeks since I saw you last? You seem to be at least physically healed."

He waves again, "Yes, yes, I'm fine on that note. But my mum's in town."

Linda's eyebrows shoot up over her glasses, "You've never spoken of your mother before. How is your relationship?"

He sits back, clearly still thinking of how to respond. Finally, he looks into her face, "It's unimportant," he says simply.

Linda shakes her head, "On the contrary, Lucifer. A young man's relationship with his mother advises him on how to deal with women throughout his life." To say that the therapist is shocked by the gales of laughter which suddenly erupt from Lucifer is a grotesque understatement.

"That wasn't a joke, Lucifer," she remarks primly. "It's a critical relationship in a man's life."

Lucifer gains control of himself and shakes his head. Somehow, his expression goes straight from mirthful to devastated in the blink of an eye, and his black eyes pierce her blue ones. "I agree with you completely, Doctor. It is no joke. Neither is the fact that she took full advantage of me shortly after I fell."

Linda blinks as she feels a blush cover her face, "When you say 'took advantage...'," she begins then Lucifer interrupts her with a sharp nod, "Yes, Doctor. I mean it exactly as it sounds. We had sex. Loads of it and for a very long time. She sought to control me and, for a bit, I was too distraught to stop it." He stops, surprised that he simply blurted it out. For her part, Linda sits straight up, trying desperately to keep her expression neutral, _That explains so very much._

"How old were you when this happened?" she asks carefully.

He shrugs, "I have no idea, honestly."

"Were you a child?" she carefully prods.

His eyebrows come together, "I've never _been_ a child, Doctor. I've certainly mentioned this before."

Linda nods, "You have. Did this happen before you...fell?"

Lucifer shakes his head, "After. She fell at the same time and Dad insisted I keep an eye on her." _So he was older, at least._

Linda cocks her head, "That seems like an odd request. Is she much older or maybe dealing with dementia of some sort?"

"No. Well, she _is_ demented, but she's younger than I am - although not by much," he explains

"Ah," Linda interjects, "So she's your stepmother."

Lucifer gives her a curious look, "What? Oh. She's not my biological mother, no."

"It sounds like you did, eventually, stop it. Do you want to talk about that?" she asks, trying to draw him out.

He shrugs, "When we fell, neither of us was really equipped for...being alone, so she suggested...and...," he frowns and looks at Linda, taking in her flushed cheeks and clenched jaw. "Darling, are you alright?"

The doctor twitches as if startled, "I'm fine, Lucifer. I admit I'm angry that you were...taken advantage of, but I also recognize that I'm closer to you than I probably should be, so I'm trying to be objective." She sighs heavily, "And failing miserably."

He blinks and leans toward her, cocking his head and studying her, "Doctor...Linda...you _care_? About me?" Her mouth drops open in answer, shocked he could even ask, "Of course I do. We have an intimate relationship that I value very highly. Your trust is a gift that I don't take for granted."

Taken somewhat aback, Lucifer stares back at her for a long moment. "Should we have sex now? I understand you said we shouldn't because you want this to be professional and all that, but under the circumstances..."

It's Linda's turn to laugh, "I'm good, Lucifer." He smirks and is about to interject when she puts her hand up, "I didn't mean it quite that way." She cocks her head, "Intimate, in this context, means sharing feelings. You trust me enough to tell me things with the knowledge that you are...safe here."

Lucifer arches a brow, looking somewhat put off, "Safe? Doctor, you imply I am vulnerable outside this room?"

Linda twitches slightly, "Ah. Well, you mentioned Chloe makes you vulnerable."

He stands and begins to pace again, fidgeting with his cufflinks, "Yes. She does. We almost had sex, you know. She said yes. Sort of." Linda remains silent, watching as he walks back and forth without looking at her. "We reached an understanding. A deal!" He stops and looks suddenly thoughtful, "Except she didn't like when I asked if it was a deal at all."

Lucifer stops and looks down at Linda, "That's when she told me to come see you."

Linda tilts her head again, "You honestly asked her if you had a deal."

He nods.

"About sex?" she asks.

He nods again, "Yes, of course."

Linda laughs, "Oh Lucifer."

His eyebrows reach the middle of his forehead, "What?"

The therapist shakes her head, still chuckling, "Lucifer, tell me. How do you feel when you are with Detective Decker?"

"Horny, of course," he smirks.

"No, that's not what I mean. How do you feel _about_ her?" she asks.

He looks confused, "Still horny." Seeing her expression, he tries again, "That's not right, either, is it? What, exactly, are you asking?"

She tries again, "How do you...regard her as a person? You enjoy working with her, but why?"

Lucifer shrugs, "Well, she's intelligent and has notable instincts. She believes in justice and typically puts the needs of other people ahead of her own." He looks at Linda, "Are these things you mean?"

Linda nods, "Yes. You respect her."

"Of course," he agrees. "In spite of her immunity to my charm."

She grins, "Or maybe, partly, because of it."

He raises his eyebrows, "An interesting thought. Go on."

Linda shrugs, "You mentioned once that you're used to being in control of everything, and I'll expand that out to mean 'every _one_ ' as well, and that finally not having that control was exciting." She gestures to him, "She is someone you cannot control, so you have to change your usual approach to achieve your goal."

His face splits into a lascivious grin, "That goal being to have sex with her."

Linda raises her palm to her forehead for a moment, "Again, not what I mean. How would you feel if someone hurt her?" He clenches his jaw for a moment and she is captivated by the play of light across his eyes. _His eyes are so dark, the sunset reflects as flame across his iris_ , she muses.

"Lucifer," she begins, and is pleased to see he responds immediately. "When I say the word "love," what is your first thought?" she asks. He scowls darkly, "Control," Lucifer fairly spits the word.

She nods in understanding, "That's certainly reasonable considering the circumstances. How about "affection"?" He shrugs dismissively, still clearly uncomfortable, "Shagging, of course. What are you on about? Just say it, darling, because I believe I'm getting a headache."

Linda sighs heavily, "Lucifer, you're in love with Chloe."

His eyebrows shoot up as far as they can go as his eyes fly wide open, "That's preposterous," he huffs in indignation. "I have no such... _feelings_." _No no no no no NO. That would ruin everything. I can't..._

She shrugs, "What if she felt the same?" _Oh, Father, no..._

"That's even more ridiculous, Doctor. The Devil does not inspire...love. I do not want it," he sneers. "Perhaps you should consider a career change. Lux can always use more staff."

 _Ah, ha! A breakthrough!_ She thinks triumphantly. Refusing to be insulted, Linda presses on, "I think you're wrong, Lucifer. I think you do inspire people to care about you. Perhaps to even love you." She blinks as it seems the sunset is again reflected in his eyes, "And I think you want it. A great deal."

Mouth agape, Lucifer stares at her as if she'd sprouted her own, glorious pair of wings. He continues to sit for a long, silent moment until he finally, simply stands up and leaves the office without a word.


	19. Trip the Darkness

Niall drives to his apartment and takes a nap for the afternoon, until it's time to head out on the town. He wakes and strolls to the window to look out on the street below, his tail swishing back and forth in anticipation. _I do love a good hunt,_ he smiles to himself as he makes for the shower. A wave of light-headedness washes over him as he brushes his teeth under the spray, and he steadies himself against the wall for a moment.

 _Stupid, going too long_ , he chastises himself. Once the feeling passes, he exits the shower and towels off quickly, taking care to not rip the towel on his horns. The demon dresses in a pair of custom black jeans (because...tail), an aubergine button-up and black Christian Louboutins, then runs his fingers through his damp, raven curls. Calling an Uber and grabbing his wallet, he heads out into the night, whistling a happy tune.

His first stop is a club he knows well. The bartender gives him a nod and without a word, a whiskey sour appears on the bar. Niall smiles warmly, "Thanks, Joe."

"Usual tab, Mr. Black?" the man asks.

The demon smiles, "Early night for me, love. I'll pay with cash," he answers and hands over a 50-dollar bill, casually brushing the bartender's hand, "Just a couple of drinks and I'm out." He sips the drink and raises it appreciatively, "I _do_ like how you pour."

The man blushes as the bill disappears, "Thank you, sir. Always a pleasure."

Niall winks, "It is, indeed," he replies then walks away.

Niall leans against a dark wall and surveys the scene, his tail twitching in anticipation. It's a good club. The DJ is solid and the clientele always seem to be in a good mood with Joe behind the bar. _A great place for an appetizer,_ he smiles to himself. He sips his drink and watches men and women start to crowd the floor. It's still early and there aren't so many people that he can easily escape notice. He has to be careful.

Slowly, but surely, the group grows more to his liking, so he finishes his drink and makes his way onto the floor. Over the course of a two songs, he dances with two different young ladies and he feeds carefully from each before returning to the bar for another drink.

Niall leans back against the bar, sipping his second drink as he watches the floor again. As he watches, he notices another male circling the floor, his posture a bit too predatory for a fun night on the town. The demon's tail twitches again as he invites himself into the man's mind, and he frowns when he sees the man's dark intentions for the evening. _No, we can't have that_ , he thinks as he tosses back his drink and sets the glass on the bar.

Niall slowly approaches the floor as the crowd dances happily, _this DJ is really good,_ he muses as he weaves among the throng of people to inch closer to the man. _It seems he's identified his victim. In the modern parlance, think I'll just 'nope' the young lady right out of this miscreant's plans_ , the demon smirks. He casually brushes by the man and lays a hand on him, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, immediately draining him of energy until he starts to drop to the ground.

Acting surprised, Niall grabs the man and moves him off the floor, "Seems this fellow had too much to drink," he explains to some shocked people nearby. "Let's just sit him at a table." As the demon situates the unconscious man in a chair, he waltzes into the man's head and plants a very strong suggestion against any further thoughts of circumventing another person's consent. _Or I_ _ **will**_ _find you_ , he promises. He flashes a wicked smile when he feels the man shiver reflexively.

On his way out the door, Niall walks by the bar and points the passed out man to Joe, "Lightweight over there - he'll wake up in a bit I'm sure." Joe shakes his head in irritation, "There's one every night. Thanks, Mr. Black."

Feeling more energized, but still not sated, Niall calls for a car to take him to a bar closer to Dae's apartment, where he hopes to finish the evening. It's a place he's been meaning to try but hadn't had the chance. He pays the cover then goes in. It's a bit scruffier than his usual haunt and he feels eyes on him as soon as he walks in. _Seems I needn't have bothered with a shower_ , he muses. Avoiding the looks, he heads to the bar and hands over another $50 bill for his tab, "Top-shelf whiskey. Neat, if you please." The drink appears and the demon makes his way to a seat in the back of the room.

Instead of a DJ, there's a live act and he tries not to cringe as they butcher Lacuna Coil. _If you can't, just don't_ , he thinks to himself as he sips his drink and looks around. He watches the female singer for a moment as she flails her lanky frame on the stage and screeches to hit the notes. The feel in the bar is generally the same as every other club or bar he's been in on this plane. _Hard to vary the ages-old theme of humans gathering in the dark with music and mood-altering drinks or chemicals_.

Finally, the band takes a break and the singer grabs a beer. She struts over to Niall's table and helps herself to a chair, "I've been watching you." She tilts the chair back on two legs and puts her combat boots on the table, her thin legs are clad in skin-tight jeans and a long, red scarf wraps around her neck over a plain white t-shirt.

He arches an eyebrow but doesn't move otherwise, "Oh? And why is that?" He peeks into her thoughts and finds them to be a fascinatingly chaotic blend of desire and manic energy. _Almost like home_ , he muses.

She smirks and swigs half of her beer, "You're hot. So fucking hot." Her bloodshot eyes rake over him as she licks her lips, taking care to avoid a sore at one of the corners, "And you're fucking huge." The eyes stop as they look directly at his lap, "Bet your dick is huge, too."

Niall is grateful for the darkness as he feels his face grow warm, and he nods indulgently, _Aren't you just a brazen little tart?_ He asks himself. Speaking aloud, he replies, "Relatively speaking, perhaps."

She swings her feet off the table and leans forward, "Hey, you got an accent. Where you from, honey?" He flashes a grin, "Down under, love." She slaps her thigh and points at him, "I knew it!"

He tosses back the rest of his whiskey and gestures for the waitress to bring another, also pointing for another round for his companion. "What's your name?" he asks politely as he looks her in the eye.

She smirks, "My name's Kellie, but you can call me anything you want." Kellie leans forward, her cheap-beer breath wafting into his face, "Who're you?" Niall shrugs, "Does it really matter?"

She laughs, an ugly harsh sound, "You wanna go out back?" Niall's eyebrows go up, surprised at the human's direct approach. She sees he may need more convincing and puts her hand on his leg while she leans closer, "I give great head." _I bet I'm better_ , he smirks to himself.

The waitress has impeccable timing and deposits another whiskey on the table in front of him and he promptly tosses it back. _I am not fornicating with this inebriated gutter-snipe_ , he thinks. _No doubt she's riddled with disease, but Dae would have my horns_.

Sensing her evening's fun is about to bolt, Kellie launches herself into his lap and kisses him hard, trying to force her tongue into his mouth. He grabs her by the shoulders to stop her forward momentum, _It's on me! Get off! Get off!_ Seeking only to subdue her, he siphons off just enough energy to allow her to quietly pass out, slumped onto his chest. _This is what I get for trying a new place. Shit!_

The demon carefully lifts Kellie and sits her back in her chair, crossing her arms onto the table, then resting her head onto her arms so it looks like she's just resting. As he situates her, his vision blurs. Grabbing the table, he sits himself back down in his chair and breathes slowly. _What is she on?_ Niall wonders. He reaches out to her carefully, not draining any more energy, just examining the landscape. The chaos he noticed earlier has grown even worse as everything he encounters seems a dark, swirling mass of manic energy and sexual desire. _Definitely signs of ecstasy, or "molly" as they call it, but there's something else_. He's experienced cocaine this way, but this is more manic and darker than that. He frowns, _Is this meth?_

Niall grabs the table as another wave of dizziness washes over him and he shakes off the sensation of shadows swirling around his vision. Once it subsides, he staggers to the bathroom and scrubs his face with cold water, but it doesn't really help. Another patron enters the bathroom and tries to shove him aside, mumbling something about "God-damned costumed freaks from Hollywood."

In his disoriented state, Niall feels rage bubble up and he turns to glare at the intruder, _I've had just about enough of you pathetic, mewling creatures_. Snarling, he rests his hand on the man's shoulder, quickly siphoning every bit of energy from him.

As the body hits the floor, Niall feels a rush and he grins carnivorously while his tail lashes violently, _Yessss_. He exits the restroom to find another bar-goer in the hall outside. He looks down, pupils blown and canines bared in an unholy grin, _More_.

As the second man goes down, Niall's head swims and he leans hard against the wall panting. His head is pounding and everything seems to be moving in slow motion. He squints and looks around, struggling to steady himself. _I need to get out of here_ , he thinks. _Dae. My lord. What have I done?_

 _Come on, they're practically cattle!_ The more demonic aspect of his personality screams at him.

 _Stop,_ he pleas.

 _That guy in the door is blocking your path,_ Comes the reply. _One more by this point isn't going to matter._

Niall musters what little control remains, _No..._ he staggers through the back door into the alley behind the bar.

The demon staggers down the street several blocks until he arrives at Dae's apartment door. Chloe left a while ago and Dae is at work. " _DAE!_ " he shouts telepathically as he leans against the building. " _DAE-DAE-DAE!"_ He paces impatiently on the sidewalk and receives no answer. "DAAAAAEEEE!" He yells aloud. "Let me in!" He tries the door and it refuses to yield. _Please..._ , he finishes silently.

When it's obvious she's either not home or not letting him in, Niall huffs and stalks into the night, tail slashing as waves of frustration stoke the agitation building within. _Hungry_ , he grumps to himself as he plods along until he finds himself on Sunset Strip.

The demon prowls through the crowd, looking for an opportunity but there's just too much light and any attempts would be easily seen. _Dammit_ , he thinks to himself. A couple of people back away as he growls aloud without realizing it. _The hard way it is, then,_ he decides as he looks around.

Niall's brilliant green eyes catch the gaze of a young man walking toward him. " _You, come here,"_ he reaches out with a silent compulsion. The young man looks around, unsure of what he just heard, then he realizes it came from the enormous man in front of him. His eyebrows go up and Niall nods, then walks away.

Captivated, the young man follows Niall into an alley. Trotting to keep up, he turns a corner where he is promptly grabbed and shoved against the wall. He looks far up into Niall's face and feels terror wash over him. _No, this won't do at all,_ Niall thinks as he closes his eyes. "Not going to hurt you, love. You'll enjoy it," he promises. He runs a finger along the young man's cheek, "What's your name?" "B-b-b-Brian," comes the stuttered reply. Niall purrs and lowers his lips to Brian's ear, "A pleasure," he breathes.

Brian slowly relaxes as Niall gently presses his leg to the front of his trousers while nuzzling his ear. "See? Lovely," the demon closes his eyes and takes a slow deep breath as his tail twitches happily.

"Hey! What are you doing over there?" a man comes running over. "Leave him alone!" he yells at Niall. "Busy here," Niall growls without looking up. Ignoring the warning, the newcomer advances and hits Niall, trying to separate him from Brian. Recognizing the strong desire in the other man to be recognized for a good deed, Niall grabs him by the throat, holding him until he finishes with Brian. _Wait your turn._ Distracted as he is, Niall misses the critical moment when he could have left Brian intact and the poor young man starts twitching as he's pressed against the wall. _Nothing for it now...Shit!_ Niall curses as he finishes Brian off and lets him drop to the ground.

Turning his full attention to the second man, _Damn you_. He stares hard into the newcomer's eyes, "You're a hero. People love you." The man's face lights up as his eyes go blank. Niall finishes him off quickly and flings his corpse to the ground. _Sire-damned idiots_ , he growls as he stalks out of the alley.

 _More._

Charlotte walks slowly along Sunset Strip, watching the humans scurrying along like rodents. _This cattle is even more vacuous here than they are in Hell,_ she observes.

She passes a stroller with a crying baby in it. The human female pushing the stroller is distracted with covetous thoughts as she gazes into a storefront. Charlotte pauses and looks down at the infant, _What was He thinking when he made them start out this way?_ She looks back at the adult human, who has produced her camera phone and is taking a picture of whatever it is she finds so desireable in the window. Huffing and rolling her eyes in disgust, Charlotte stalks away.

 _Rejected. But why? He said he's 'unavailable.'_ Recalling the memory he seemed to cling to, she scowls. _A human? When he could have the Queen of Heaven? This Chloe Decker cannot be worthy. She is mortal and weak._ Charlotte grins evilly, _I'll show him how weak she is._ Her smile slides away as quickly as it arrived, _He won't even talk to me. How can I get close to him again?_

She continues to walk down the Strip, dipping into people's heads here and there to gather information about this place she's in. The buzzing is staggering and she finds herself leaning against a wall for a moment to catch her breath. With her head down and eyes closed, she takes a deep breath and mentally scans the area. She's quite surprised to hear a soft, familiar voice nearby, _Stop, stop, stop, stop...MORE. Hungry. Sire...oh dammit..._

Charlotte opens her eyes and looks around. _He's so much larger than these humans, how easy can it be to hide?_ she wonders as she walks along at a brisk pace.

 _If something happens to one of his pet demons, Lucifer will be very upset_ , she thinks. She smiles, _If I bring him home safely, Lucifer will be pleased,_ she thinks. _He'll talk to me again_.

Setting the purpose at the front of her mind, she scours the area, homing in on his internal voice. Finally, she turns a corner into an alley and finds him pressed close to an older human woman. "Niall!" she calls silently. "Stop! Let's get you home. To Lucifer."

The demon raises his face to look at Charlotte his eyes are glazed and unfocused, "Sire?" he whispers hoarsely. She nods and reaches out to take his hand, giving the the human a chance to flee.

Niall looks down at her hand and frowns. His tail twitches and he looks at her suspiciously, "You're not here to help. I should kill you instead."

She laughs, completely unconcerned over this threat, "As if you could. I'm not here to hurt you."

He continues to scowl and she feels an immense force slam into her consciousness, enough to force her back a step, "Don't do this, Niall. Lucifer can help you."

Charlotte realizes he is not going to come willingly and she sighs heavily, "You won't thank me for this," she says as she forces her way into his psyche. He stiffens and stares at her as she quickly looks around. Niall tries to erect defenses but is too weakened from the trip he's on for it to be effective. _You have a mortal lover as well?_ She says. _Fascinating._ Not taking the time for a more prolonged tour, Charlotte plants a strong compulsion for Niall to return to Lucifer's flat, _Come on._

Niall follows Charlotte as she hails a taxi and directs the driver to take them to Lux. They are let out in front of the club, which is closed for the night.

Niall collapses to the ground as soon as the car pulls away and Charlotte runs to the club's entrance to pound on the door. Maze throws the door wide, her mouth open as if about to berate the person responsible for the disturbance. She snarls when she sees Niall on the sidewalk next to Charlotte and daggers appear in her hands almost magically.

Lucifer's mother puts her hand up and steps back, "Something is wrong with him."

"What did you do?" Maze growls, stepping closer to Charlotte. The blonde woman shakes her head, "I didn't do anything to him. He was out, feeding on humans but something..." she taps her head, "...in here was very distressed. So, I got him here. I thought Lucifer could help him."

Maze sheathes her daggers and crouches down to examine her sibling, "He doesn't seem to be physically hurt." She glares at Charlotte, "How did you get him here?"

"We took a car," the blonde woman explains.

Begrudgingly, Maze's snarl relaxes a fraction, "Help me get him inside," she orders. They roll Niall over onto his back and each woman takes an arm to drag him into Lux. "I'll wait for Lucifer to get back. He can carry Niall down the stairs."

Charlotte looks around, "Oh, he's not here?" Maze shakes her head, "No, but I'll message him." She scowls, "You probably shouldn't be here when we shows up. He's already not going to be happy."

Charlotte squares her shoulders, "But I can help," she insists. "We don't _want_ your help. GO," Maze commands as the daggers reappear.

The blonde woman huffs in frustration, "Alright. But tell him I tried to help. I want to be here. With him." At a final, threatening look from Maze, she turns and leaves.

The demon grabs her phone and calls Lucifer. "Hello, Maze, what is it?" he answers.

"You need to get here. NOW," she demands. She can almost hear him rolling his eyes.

"What's the big emergency? The Brittanies beating down the door to get in? Actually, after we hang up, I want you to call all three of them and tell them to come over."

Maze growls, "It's Niall. Something's wrong."

His tone changes immediately, "I'm on my way." There's a pause, "But still call the Brittanies," then he disconnects the line.


	20. Valkyrie

[Timing: Chloe home in the evening after spending most of the daylight getting inked by Dae]

Chloe stands in her bedroom, staring at the full-length mirror behind the door. The sight she beholds is surreal as she turns her nude body around again to look at the runes Dae placed on her body. To keep forward in her mind everything she is fighting to protect, Chloe asked that the runes be a dark turquoise (not quite teal) - Trixie's favorite color. "It's beautiful with your eyes as well," Dae nodded in approval. And so it was done.

The detective couldn't remember everything the small witch said, but the runes swirling around her biceps are infused with titanium to enhance her strength. Great, swooping whorls on her shoulder blades are infused with ground eagle feathers. "Sorry - you won't fly, but you'll feel lighter on your feet and able to move faster," Dae explained.

Small bands around her ankles of concentric, interlocking rectangles include iron as an ingredient. "You are a child of this world, where _they_ are not. Remaining grounded will be your greatest protection. Remember Who. You. Are," Dae instructs.

Chloe turns to regard the largest and strangest runes Dae placed on her. The heavy lines start from the same point at her lower back then stretch like possessive fingers over her hips to mid-thigh, and along the side of her torso until they gently rest at the bottom of her ribs with delicate lines branching toward the bottom of her sternum. "A woman's power centers in her hips. Your greatest font of energy is here," Dae explains as she lightly touches the small of Chloe's back. "Cobalt is good for the blood and will help the flow of your energy, especially to your legs and lungs." She lightly touches Chloe's thighs, along her side and to her diaphragm, "You will stand strong, breathe deeply, and focus."

The detective blushes as she considers what a certain King of Hell might think of the lines. _Certainly Linda will point out what's so obvious, and then.._.

A knock sounds at the front door downstairs, startling her. _Speak of The Devil,_ she muses with a happy smile. That smile morphs into a saucy grin as she considers answering the door in her current state. Maturity wins the day, however, and even though she can hear Lucifer's voice protesting in her head, _BORING!_ , she puts on a robe and pads downstairs. She turns on the porch light and opens the door.

"Dan!" she exclaims as she sees her soon-to-be ex-husband standing there. She steps back in surprise and pulls her robe closer around herself, "What are you doing here? When did they let you out?"

Dan Espinoza looks at Chloe, sadness and regret all over his face, "They let me out until my hearing since I'm not a violent threat." He looks down and shuffles his feet, "I'm sorry to come by so late, Chloe, but I had to see you. Can I come in? I just want to talk."

Still taken aback, Chloe presses her lips into a thin line, "Sure." She opens the door to allow him in and gestures to the island in the kitchen. "Have a seat. I'll get changed then put on some coffee." She quickly goes upstairs where she changes into baggy sweatpants and a loose t-shirt. A final glance in the mirror assures her the henna is mostly covered and she returns to the kitchen.

Chloe bustles around making coffee then turns to face Dan. She leans her back against the refrigerator and crosses her arms while giving him a pointed look, "Okay, what do you want?"

Dan looks at her, adoration lighting his blue-grey eyes, "I wanted to tell you again how sorry I am, Chloe. For everything. I should have told you to begin with that I shot Malcolm."

Her face flushes with anger and she jabs a finger at him, "Trixie was **kidnapped** and Lucifer..." _**DIED**_..."was shot because of you," she snarls as unshed tears turn her eyes to sea-blue glass. He pales in the face of her rage and leans back as he remembers the last time she was angry at him.

Working hard to control her anger, she takes a deep breath and steps back. She arches a brow at him, "And it's not just that, Dan." He shakes his head and looks down at his hands, "I know. I didn't have your back..." _You clueless son of a bitch._

Chloe stands a little bit straighter and the pointed look starts to become a glare, "Nope. Not that, either."

He raises his eyebrows, confusion clear on his face, "What, then?"

Chloe steps forward and rests her hands on the edge of the counter, leaning forward slightly so she can look directly into his face, "How about every time you interacted with me on a case, it was always "You need to be smart about this" or "It's an open and shut case" with the implication that I'm too fucking stupid or inept to solve it? How about THAT?"

Dan's eyes fly open in shock, "I was just trying to help you!"

She scowls, "By insinuating I'm an idiot? I don't _need_ that kind of help, Dan."

She blinks and cocks her head, giving him an appraising look, "That's it, isn't it?" She steps back and nods, "You need to be needed." Dan looks about to rebut but she interrupts, "But I **don't** need you. I never did. I _wanted_ you, and that's different." Sadness darkens Chloe's eyes for a moment as she leans forward to take his hand, "But that wasn't enough, was it?"

Dan looks back down at where they are holding hands for a long moment, considering her words. He takes a deep breath, "Do you still...want me?" he asks quietly.

 _Hell no,_ she almost snickers. _We know each other so well. He's Trixie's father and he really tries to be a good guy._ She sighs heavily as she takes in his posture, expectant and nervous, then she shakes her head while giving his hand a squeeze, _It's just not enough,_ "No." He nods sadly without looking up at her, "I understand."

Chloe reaches forward to place her hand under his chin, lifting his eyes to hers, "I still love you, Dan. That will never change. I do really like you as a person, you're a great dad to Trixie and you are always welcome here. But..." she pauses, "You deserve someone who will make you happy and if needing you does that, you deserve to have it."

Dan blinks back tears and looks down again. "I'm sorry," he chokes out. "I never meant..." She nods as she strokes the side of his face, "I know."

He takes a deep breath and looks back up at her, "Do you need Lucifer?"

She considers the whirlwind that has been the past few months since the club owner has entered her life. Being around Lucifer is exhilarating. Intoxicating, really. Dan doesn't miss the blush that spreads across her cheeks as she thinks about her answer. Or the almost imperceptible lift at the corners of her lips.

Chloe looks Dan in the eye, "I want him, yes. But, no. I don't need him." _And I'm pretty sure he doesn't want me to_ , she finishes silently.

Dan nods sadly, "I understand." He coughs lightly, "Look, it's late and I should go. Can I kiss Trixie goodnight?" Chloe shakes her head and gestures at their daughter's door, "She's with mom for a little bit. After the kidnapping, I thought letting Mom take her to Disney and stuff would be good for her," she pauses and shrugs, "And I've got a case I'm working on."

"Okay," he says as he walks to the door. "I'll call your mom tomorrow to talk to her." Dan pauses awkwardly and turns around, "We're still...friends...right?" Chloe's face splits into a beautiful smile, "I'd like that." She wraps her arms around him for a warm hug, "Goodnight Dan." He gives her a peck on the cheek, "Goodnight Chloe," and leaves.

[Timing: After visiting Linda, Lucifer went for a drive and did some thinking. Charlotte brought Niall to Lux early morning, after the club closed. The end of this small section should be as the sun is rising on another beautiful SoCal day.]

Lucifer arrives at Lux and almost trips over Niall's large, unconscious body as soon as he steps into the club. "Bloody Hell, Maze!" he calls. "What happened?" Maze trots up the stairs, "Charlotte brought him in. Said he was out feeding but something happened."

He gives her a sharp look, "Mum? What...?" Lucifer looks sharply around the club, "Where is she?"

Maze shakes her head, "I have no idea what exactly happened." She waves dismissively at the door, "I sent her away."

Lucifer looks down, "Well why's he right here in the doorway?" Maze arches a brow at him " _You_ made him this big. The best I can do is drag him down the stairs and I didn't want to hurt him more." She shrugs, "I know you can pick him up, so I waited."

He looks at the ceiling and huffs as he takes off his jacket and hands it to Maze, "Fine."

He rolls up his shirt sleeves then descends a couple of steps to make it easier to heft Niall's dead weight onto his shoulder. "Your sibling needs to go on a diet," he grumbles as he carefully picks his way down the stairs with his first creation slung inelegantly over his shoulder, as if Lucifer were a supernatural fireman. Finally on the floor of the club, Lucifer drops the demon onto a couch with a heavy 'thump.'

Lucifer lands heavily on the sofa beside Niall and exhales loudly. Maze pours a few fingers of scotch for each of them and brings him a glass, "Where have you been?" she asks. He accepts the drink and takes a sip, "My time is my own, Maze. I don't want to talk about it right now."

He scowls but doesn't look up, "Why do you think Mum brought him here?" Maze paces as she sips her own drink, "She said she could help." A confused look crosses her face, "She actually seemed like she wanted to."

Lucifer stands up and moves to lean against the bar, "Trying to get into my good graces no doubt." He gestures at Niall, "Do you think she had a hand in this?"

Maze shakes her head, "I don't know. He's way too big for her to manage and he should be too strong up here," she taps her head, "for Charlotte to compel him." Maze cocks her head, "But she said he was out feeding when she found him."

Lucifer walks a circle around Niall, looking down as his creation, "Perhaps the chap got food poisoning." He scowls, "He doesn't do well with stimulants. Remember when we had that party where those girls brought cocaine, molly and pop rocks?"

A wistful smile crosses her face as she nods, "That was fun."

Lucifer shakes his head, "For you and I, it was. Poor chap had a hangover for three days." He raises his eyebrows and looks down, "But he didn't shut down like this. I've been 'knocking on the door' in there, so to speak, and nothing."

He recovers a lighter and cigarette case from his jacket and lights up. As he exhales a puff of smoke, he points at Maze, "Did you call the Brittanies?"

The demon gives him a sharp look, "Of course I did. They'll be here within the hour."

He flashes one of his playboy grins but it doesn't reach his eyes, "Just in time for breakfast in bed, it seems." Maze notices his delivery seems forced but decides to leave it be for the moment. "Wonderful," he continues as he stamps out his cigarette in an ashtray. "Let's get Niall situated downstairs so he can safely sleep this off."

Lucifer again hoists several hundred pounds of passed out demon over his shoulder and allows Maze to lead the way to her apartment in the basement. They wrangle him through the door and Lucifer makes for Maze's room. "Where am I supposed to sleep until he wakes up?" she frowns. "Bed hog, remember?" He grins, "I'm quite aware of his propensity to monopolize the resting real estate. Don't worry, Mazie. You're coming upstairs with me and the Brittanies."

Maze's eyebrows go up, "Need a bartender?" she asks carefully. He reaches out to stroke her cheek, "Not today. It's been a while, don't you think? Too long, perhaps?" Her flush is obvious in spite of her cafe au lait complexion and she smiles, all teeth, "Damned right it has."

She gives him a quizzical look, "Not pining for your pet detective any more?" The barb digs deep but he doesn't let her see, "Let's just say I'm interested in shaking up the status quo and leave it at that, mmkay?" She nods and he sees an uncharacteristic thoughtfulness shadow her expression. Lucifer cocks her head, "Unless you'd rather...not...for reasons of your own, of course."

Maze looks up at him and huffs, "I'd rather..." then she looks away. "But..."

Lucifer laughs unexpectedly and takes a step back, "I'll let you off the hook, then. Another time, perhaps?" He looks down at Niall covering almost every inch of her bed, "You can have my guest bed. I'm certain the Detective won't be using it any time soon."

[three hours later]

Chloe rings Lucifer's phone for the fifth time in an hour and growls in frustration as it rings. _Is it too much for this man to have voicemail?_ She growls. _There's a half dozen dead bodies all over town and only one of them has any marks. It looks like his mom has been busy again._ She's about to disconnect and throw her phone across her car when he finally picks up.

It's hard to hear anything beyond the loud music in the background, "Hello, Detective!" he calls out cheerfully. _Too_ cheerfully for 9am.

"Lucifer, where are you? A little early to be clubbing, isn't it?" she grumps into the phone as she hears laughter mixing with the music in the background.

"Yes, Detective, it _is_ early and, as such, everywhere is closed. I'm at home, if you simply must know," he responds. "Now, were you calling to advise me of the time or was there a particular purpose for you to ring me?"

 _What the f...?_ "There's a case, Lucifer," she retorts. "I'm on my way to you now." She can almost hear him rolling his eyes, "Not today, Detective," he responds, "But thank you for the offer. Perhaps another time?" She's about to respond when the call is disconnected.

Chloe glares at the road ahead as she steers the cruiser to Lux and answers yet another call from Lieutenant Monroe, "Yes ma'am. I'm on my way over now." The call ends as the detective rolls into the alley behind Lux. She shuts off the engine, takes a deep, steadying breath then exits the car, slamming the door.

The door to the club is, surprisingly, unlocked and Chloe walks into the darkened space. _Almost surreal_ , she thinks as she descends the stairs and walks across the empty floor. Inexplicably nervous, she reassures herself by confirming access to her sidearm as she walks quickly and quietly to the elevator. The doors silently slide open, she steps inside and pushes a button.

As the elevator ascends, the throb of music permeates the sheath of the structure. Chloe's eyebrows crease her forehead and she closes her eyes in annoyance. _He's throwing a fucking rave_. Sighing heavily to alleviate the tension in her shoulders, she stands straighter and exits the elevator as soon as the doors open.

Chloe is immediately greeted by Lucifer in a black silk robe, the sound of giggling ladies coming from his bedroom and his eyebrows in the middle of his forehead. "Something I can help you with, Detective?" he asks politely. Her blue eyes skirt over his attire and she frowns as more giggling erupts behind him, "You need to come with me," she states. "Preferably dressed."

He smirks as he looks her over and raises a drink to his lips, peering darkly at her over the rim of the glass, "Not even a 'please'? Certainly LA's finest is capable of more manners than THAT." Lucifer turns to gesture toward his bedroom, "I'm a bit busy at the moment. Perhaps contact my bartender for an appointment."

Chloe snatches his drink out of his hand and sets it down hard on his piano, sloshing the contents onto the black, lacquered finish. "This case directly involves you, Lucifer," she growls up at him. "It looks like more of YOUR mother's handiwork. So either get dressed and come with me or I'll cuff your ass and drag you downtown for obstruction. You choose."

He arches a brow and stands a bit taller as his eyes shift to an amber glow, "Now, Detective...mind your temper," he chides.

She's not having any of it and steps closer, "Save that bullshit for someone it actually works on. People are DEAD. Human beings. And while that might not mean much to YOU, it means a lot to ME. Now get moving."

Lucifer looks down his very long nose at her and huffs, irritation sharpening his accent, "You don't get to control me, Detective. D'you forget who I am?" She shakes her head then glares at him, "No. I don't, _Satan_. But right now, you're in LA. MY town. If you want to stay here, you play by MY rules. One more time - get moving."

"Or what?" he scoffs. She arches a brow, "You're really going there?" His posture slides gracefully into insolence, "Of course, darling. What've you got?"

She smirks as she stalks toward his bedroom, grabbing her badge as she approaches the Brittanies. "I'm so sorry ladies, but Mr. Morningstar is involved in a case and I need to bring each of you in for questioning. Please get dressed - you're coming with me."

Cries of shock and dismay greet her statement as the trio rushes to Lucifer demanding an explanation. He puts his hands up in surrender, "FINE, Detective. I'll come with you, just..." he rolls his eyes toward the lingerie-clad women. Chloe shoots him a pointed look, _I win_ , then returns to the young ladies. "Nevermind. It turns out we won't need you at all, but I do need to take him, so...amuse yourselves, I guess."

Lucifer gives a small nod as he raises his eyebrows before stalking to his closet for a change of clothes. For their part, the Brittanies scramble around for their clothes and scuttle to the elevator while Chloe waits. Finally, showered and changed, an extremely irritated Prince of Darkness stalks past the detective, fidgeting with his cufflinks on his way to the elevator. "Chop-chop," he grumbles. She shakes her head as she follows along.


	21. Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Lucifer huffs as they wait for the elevator then casts a surreptitious glance in Chloe's direction, "You're shaking, Detective, are you ill?" He steps back and looks down at her, "Is it contagious?"

Chloe doesn't look at him, but he sees the line of her mouth turn sharply down to mirror her eyebrows, "You could say I'm 'ill,' yes." She growls. "I'm so damned mad at you I could be sick."

He scoffs and looks away, "Whatever for? Seems _I'm_ the injured party here, what with you storming into my home uninvited, threatening my guests and rudely excusing me from their company." Lucifer rolls his eyes and his posture shifts into an insolent slouch, "I mean...really. I've seen better manners in He..."

"Shut. Up," she snarls.

Lucifer frowns as he feels another twist in his chest. _Bloody Hell._ He raises his hand to his chest and Chloe doesn't miss the look of confusion as he grips the placket.

"What's wrong?" she asks. Startled from his reverie, he pouts at her, "Why do you care, since I've apparently infuriated you to the point of illness?" The deep breath he attempts has trouble filling his lungs.

Hearing his small gasp for breath, she ignores the elevator doors when they slide open. His eyebrows come down as he gives her an accusing look, "What the bloody Hell have you done to me? Now _I'm_ sick!"

Shifting into caregiver mode, Chloe ignores his outraged declaration. "What feels bad?" Lucifer looks down at his feet, still confused, with his hand over his chest, "I'm not sure, exactly. My chest...is tight. As if it were bound up tight and I can't breathe."

She reaches for his forehead and he leans away with an irritated look, "Again?"

She nods as she pulls her hand away, "Right. Well, I'm not sick with anything germy, so whatever's going on there," she gestures toward his person, "is all you. Stand straight and try to take some deep breaths."

Lucifer looks down, brows knitted together, "Why are you being kind to me, Detective? I apparently made you rather angry. Sure you wouldn't rather shoot me again or something?"

Chloe coughs a sharp laugh, "You can still care about someone and get mad at them, Lucifer. Hell, sometimes you get the most angry at people you care the most about," she quirks an eyebrow at him.

He draws back as if slapped, "That's just ridiculous."

She shrugs, "It's true. Well...for us mere mortals, anyway. Not sure how it works for your...kind."

He smirks, "I am _one_ of a kind, Detective."

She snickers, "Yeah. Thank God."

His gives her a lopsided grin, "Indeed." He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.

Chloe looks up, "So, what happened?"

Lucifer cocks his head, "I truly don't know. One moment, I'm angry with you and you're yelling at me. The next, I can't breathe and my chest hurts."

Chloe looks away and shuffles her feet, "What was..." she gestures toward his bedroom... "That, earlier?"

He frowns, "Not sure I get your meaning."

"What I walked in on. I thought we..." she pauses to find the right words, "I thought you were going to see Linda then call me after you thought about it."

He huffs, "I _was_ thinking!"

Her eyebrows shoot up as her eyes fly wide open, "That's what you call a foursome? _Thinking_?"

Instead of answering immediately, he rolls his eyes as he reaches in his jacket for his cigarettes. She waits while he lights then exhales, "What did Linda say to you?"

Lucifer gives her a cheeky grin, "No respect for doctor-patient privacy, Detective?" She doesn't say a word but continues to look at him expectantly.

Lucifer takes a long drag on his cigarette then exhales equally slowly. Then he begins to pace without looking at her, "She said the most...outlandish things. I fear for her sanity, really."

"Lucifer..." Chloe says. "Would it be easier if I say it first?"

He gives her a sharp look, his black eyes almost taking on a note of fear. He swallows hard, "I...that's not necessary..." then stops. _No no no no NO!_

She steps forward and stops his pacing with a hand on his chest, "Lucifer, I like you. A lot. I've come to care about you a great deal..." she begins.

He steps back, his eyebrows furrowing his forehead, "Stop... _please_."

"You need to hear this," she insists. "I think I'm f..."

"STOP!" he yells as he places shaking hands over his ears.

Tears spring into her eyes, "Why?"

"You don't understand," he whispers hoarsely as his breath comes in short gasps. "You... _can't_."

Chloe steps forward slowly, eyes never leaving his. He backs against the bar, eyes wide, as if he's a trapped animal and she is about to attack. His eyes begin to glow, "Chloe...no..."

"Lucifer," she says softly as she stops her advance, "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Lies," he hisses, eyes still aglow. "You say...these things. Teasing me with your soft words." He scowls down at her, "Taunting me by staying out of reach." Lucifer slides away and begins to pace again, "Luring me...into having these...feelings," he spits. "You'll spring your trap and _**then**_ your sport will begin in earnest, won't it?"

He prowls around her, heat rolling off him, and if she didn't know better, she'd expect to see a tail lashing angrily behind him. "You will seek to control me." He finishes his cigarette and grinds it into an ashtray, "I'll not allow it again. You need to leave."

It's Chloe's turn to step back from him, "That's what you think I want? To control you?"

He sweeps his hand toward her, "Why wouldn't you? Who doesn't want control of God's first creation? And apparently it's as easy as getting _me_ to care about _you_ ," he pauses and exhales loudly. "Which, according to Dr. Martin, has already happened, so now I'm well and truly fucked without ever actually...dammit." He turns and shouts in frustration, shattering a wall of windows.

Chloe watches him raking his hand through hair and starts laughing. "You're an idiot."

He turns to glare at her, his hand still in his hair, "What?" She shrugs and laughs again, "I said you're an idiot."

Lucifer harrumphs and continues to walk away a few steps. He stops then stalks back, "Why do you say that?"

Chloe points to his shattered windows, "Because you..."

He shakes his head, "That's not what you meant."

She looks up at him without moving, "You accused me of wanting to control you, but you know better than that."

He squints down at her, "Do I? Do tell, Detective. _What_ , in my experience, would have me believe otherwise when that has been the _only_ result of what you suggest?"

She crosses her arms and looks up at him. He can see in her eyes she's struggling to not get more angry. And failing.

"You're all a God-damned mess," she growls.

He nods, "Well, yes, but what's that got to do with..."

"Shut. Up," she says as she steps forward and slaps him. Hard.

"Bloody Hell! What'd you do that for?" he demands as he rubs his red cheek.

Chloe jabs her finger into his chest, backing him up as she does, "Because you DO know better, Lucifer." He stares at her, gobsmacked as she continues.

"I'm not your parents. I would never kick you out of my life without you knowing exactly why." She gives him a quick up-and-down look, "Being a giant prick about...whatever this is between us is a great way to accomplish that, by the way."

She jabs him again, "And I would never...NEVER use any feelings you might have to manipulate you. Ever."

He continues to stare at her, saying nothing, _I...know..._ as the reality of his situation hits him like a sledgehammer. He huffs a soft exhalation as his shoulders slump as if in defeat.

Chloe jabs the elevator button and glares back at him, "You know what? I'm done with the fucked-up, broken men in my life trying to ascribe things to me that aren't true. Do what you want, Lucifer. I'm out."

She turns her back on him to enter the elevator. Suddenly, Lucifer grabs her arm, spins her around and drags her against him. "Your turn to shut up, Detective," he rasps before crashing his lips onto hers.

He pulls her flush against him and her hands frame his face as she kisses him back, all teeth and fingernails in his hair. Lucifer growls low as he thrusts against her, and she moans in response.

His hands find the hem of her shirt to pull it over her head then her shaking hands start working the buttons of his shirt. As Chloe draws back to catch her breath, he lowers his teeth to her neck and bites her none-too-gently. Encouraged by her responding gasp and shiver, Lucifer bites her again, more gently this time, but for longer, as he grips her tightly to hold her still. He presses her against a wall with his knee between her legs.

With one hand, he reaches around her back to unhook her bra. Once it is loose, he pulls the offending garment off and proceeds to lavish attention on her breasts as she writhes in front of him, "Lucifer," she whimpers.

"You drive me mad," he rumbles in response before pushing her against the wall and kissing her senseless again. _Completely in-bloody-sane._

One hand pops open the button and zipper of her jeans before sliding in to stroke her. "So wet, Chloe," he purrs in her ear as she arches against him. "For me, hmmm?" She shudders as he slowly but firmly caresses her and nibbles on her throat. "Mmmm...so tightly wound...has it been too long for you, love?" He bites her neck as his fingers continue to work, and he's gratified to hear her panting his name, "Lucif...ah...I..." He kisses her again, swallowing her cries and holding her more firmly against the wall as he feels her legs give way.

He pauses a moment to bring his fingers to his mouth, closing his eyes and humming with pleasure as he licks them clean. "Delicious. I will need more of this later, darling," he promises as he takes in the flush of her cheeks.

Chloe smirks and reaches down to stroke him through his trousers, "I need some of this right now. _Darling_ ," she sasses back. _I'm lost_ , he thinks as he bends down to kiss her back into silence. She takes advantage of his proximity to work on the closure and zipper before giving back as good as she got a few minutes ago. He quickly removes his trousers and the black silk boxers beneath to stand proudly before, preening under her appreciative gaze.

Lucifer's eyes all but cross as she strokes him slowly. Chloe flashes a dirty grin as she looks into his eyes, "Tell, me, Lucifer. What is it you _truly_ desire?" Flame flickers in his eyes as she gives a throaty chuckle.

Growling, he drags her jeans down her hips, kneeling before her to remove her shoes, her jeans and panties. Sliding his hands up her legs, he lays kisses on the turquoise lines on her hips ("these are lovely") and takes a moment to lay a long kiss where she wants him most before continuing up the rest of her body, "Oh my G...Lucifer!" she calls out.

He raises up with a grin and wags his finger at her, "Mmm...Naughty girl," before he lifts her so her legs go around his hips and he pushes forward carefully. She pants as he pins her to the wall, her fingernails scraping his shoulders, _Oh my God, he wasn't kidding. I'm going to die._ Lucifer closes his eyes and shudders as he is fully sheathed, _Oh Father._ "Chloe..." he chokes as they move together.

She tightens her legs around his narrow hips to pull him closer, and his eyes go wide as she gives him a squeeze. He looks down into her face in surprise then can't help but laugh at the smirk on her kissed-raw lips. _Well and truly lost._ "You..." whatever he was about to say is cut off when she drags his face down to hers for a kiss. Encouraged, he picks up the pace and it isn't long before they are each careening at full-speed to their respective climaxes.

As he continues to hold both of them up, Lucifer bends his head to kiss her gently but thoroughly. Recognizing her need for oxygen, he stops and draws back, letting her regain her feet. "I'm sorry," he says simply as he strokes her cheek. Chloe smiles back as she runs a hand through his thick, tousled locks, "Me, too."

Lucifer looks down to see he's wearing nothing but a pair of socks and an unbuttoned shirt. He smiles happily at her, "I hope you're pleased, darling. You've made quite the mess of me," _In more ways than one_. Chloe laughs and holds her arms out on either side of her naked body, "Really?"

He reaches down to the floor for his clothes and gestures for her to do the same, "Come on. To the shower with us." Chloe retrieves her clothes as well and looks at him. She's happily flushed but there's an uncertainty in her eyes, "Lucifer this...we..." He takes her hand and smiles gently as he drops a kiss on her knuckles, "Let's just enjoy the moment for now, shall we? We can talk later. Tonight." He winks, "After we've done this again properly, of course."


	22. Hey I Don't Know

Niall slowly comes to himself and realizes he is face-down on a mattress. His feet are hanging over the end and he recognizes he is still fully clothed. He feels shaky, his head hurts, and _Damn, am I hungry. Where am I?_ He cracks his eyes open and in spite of the darkness, realizes it was a mistake as pain shoots through his head. He slowly rolls himself over, squinting at the space. No decorations are on the wall, the furniture is simple, with clean lines, and the bedding smells vaguely of brimstone. He squeezes his eyes closed as a wave of nausea sweeps over him. _What the Hell happened?_

After taking some slow deep breaths, he slowly raises himself up to sitting position. Looking around a bit more, he finds a glass of water and some crackers sitting on a table next to the bed, _Considerate_. He scoots over and takes a sip. It's still cold. _Whoever put me in here came in recently_. The tip of his tail twitches nervously as he reaches for the crackers. Setting the glass of water down, he carefully stands up, bracing himself against the wall.

He locates the door and shuffles over to try the handle. He's surprised to find it unlocked, _Not a prisoner, then,_ and cautiously sticks his head out into a hallway, squinting again at the light. The floor is concrete, painted dark grey and the walls are creamy white. Fluorescent lights burn coldly on the ceiling and he sees the walls are lined with cases of alcohol, drink mixers and barware engraved with "LUX."

Niall's eyebrows knit together and he listens carefully for music, but all seems quiet. He ducks back into the bedroom for his glass of water and crackers, then walks slowly down the hall to the elevator. The club is dark when he steps out and he steadies himself against the wall as his head swims. After a deep breath and another sip of water, he proceeds to the bar.

"Good morning, sunshine," Maze smirks. Niall nibbles a cracker, "What the Hell happened to me?" he asks hoarsely. The female demon shrugs, "Don't know. We were hoping you could tell us."

He frowns and takes a seat, "How did I get here?" Maze barks a laugh, "Charlotte brought you in." Niall blinks and shakes his head, _Oh,_ _ **that**_ _was a mistake_. "I'm sorry, but did you say _Charlotte_...as in our lord's mother...brought me here?"

Maze nods, "Yep. Said you were out feeding when she found you. Something went wrong, apparently." She sips her scotch, "Lucifer thinks you got food poisoning."

He frowns as he tries to remember, but no memories surface, "Frightening. I hope I didn't...that nobody got hurt." Maze shrugs as she fixes him with a pointed look, "We don't know _that_ , either."

Charlotte sits in the cafe sipping wine and watching the humans scurrying around her. _I should go see Lucifer_ , she thinks. _I got his demon off the street and back home safely. That has to mean something to him. Maybe he'll talk to me._

She watches people sitting together at their tables, most of them enjoying each other's company, and she is struck with a wave of loneliness. _They may be rodents, but they have each other. Which is really more than any of us can claim._ She picks at the bread and cheese in front of her, more for something to do than out of any sense of physical hunger.

Suddenly, the chair opposite her is pulled back and Amenadiel sits down. "Hello, Mother," he greets her. She smiles as she sits forward, "Amenadiel!" Charlotte looks around to summon a waiter, who bustles over to take the angel's order.

The tall angel orders his lunch then gets down to business, "What have you been up to since the last time I saw you?" he asks.

She frowns and pokes her cheese, "Nothing. I'm bored out of my mind." She waves her hand to indicate the restaurant, "I don't know how these humans endure the inanity of their existence."

Amenadiel sips his water, "They are _less_ than us." he scowls in disgust. "They are unaware of us and the pointlessness of their lives. Even the so-called believers are more interested in the appearance and process of belief than an actual acceptance of what they claim is true." He shifts in his seat as he looks around, "I'll be glad to get Lucifer back where he belongs so I can leave this filthy place."

Charlotte's gaze is drawn to a woman at another table, feeding her small child. Her eyebrows knit together as she watches the mother patiently caring for her offspring, then she realizes Amenadiel is still talking, "...try to avoid interacting with them." He huffs impatiently, "And then Lucifer just insists on...getting more _involved_ with them." He rolls his dark eyes, "It was only a matter of time until they started affecting him. Making him...mortal."

"Wait, what?" Charlotte's attention snaps back to his words. "He's _mortal_?"

Amenadiel leans forward, "So far, it seems to only be when a certain person is around. A police detective he...favors."

Charlotte frowns, confused, "I think I met her. I went to his club and she was there. He said they aren't lovers."

Amenadiel takes another drink of water and nods agreement, "No, they're not, in spite of his many attempts to seduce her. She resists him somehow."

She leans forward, "He tolerates that? Can she hurt him?"

He laughs, "She already has. She shot him - and he bled. Which shouldn't be possible." He rubs his chin thoughtfully, "I need to figure out how to make sure Chloe is around when it's time to make our move to send Lucifer back to Hell."

Charlotte sits back, "Why does he allow her to be near him if he knows she's a threat?" She pauses for a moment, looking thoughtful, "Does she know who he is... _what_ he is?"

The angel nods, "She does. Finally. It took her months to finally believe him but she just treats him like another human." He laughs without actual mirth, "Most of the time she's known him, she thought he was simply a lunatic that owns a nightclub."

She looks at him, "Is she stupid?" Amenadiel laughs, "I don't think so. Just not given to believe in things she can't explain. She's _not_ a believer."

Charlotte nods, "So, what are you thinking?"

He shrugs, "She's his reason for staying here, so if we can't arrange it so she's nearby for us to subdue Lucifer, maybe we can make her reject him. Or at least convince him that she has. It almost worked once."

She frowns and leans forward, "But he's happy, right? What's the problem? I know my son, Amenadiel, he's not hurting anyone here."

Amenadiel slams his hand on the table, disturbing people at a nearby table, "He _**has**_ to go back!" He takes a deep, steadying breath as he reaches across the table for her hands, "I can't take it much longer, Mom. I just...can't. All those damned souls. I've tried so hard to get him back, but it hasn't worked," he growls in frustration. "I even tried..."

Charlotte cocks her head, "What did you do?"

He sighs, "I had a mortal shoot him, and he actually died." Amenadiel gestures to her, "He was back in Hell briefly - that's how he discovered you were out." He waves dismissively, "But we're past that for now. His offspring was out feeding last night, so I sent him a little "present," the angel flashes a dark smirk. "If it doesn't kill him, it should at least get him in enough trouble for Lucifer to send _him_ back. One less nuisance to deal with."

Her expression darkens as she takes a sip of wine, choosing to remain silent about rescuing Niall. Her gaze is again drawn to the mother at the other table who is now holding her child close. "Tell me where to find this woman."

"So, where are we going, Detective?" Lucifer asks from the passenger seat of the police cruiser. "The first two bodies were found at a club near Los Diablos and the others were found on the Strip," she replies.

Lucifer frowns, "Seems an odd neighborhood for Mum to visit," he responds. "Rather out of the way, really. Sunset Strip certainly makes more sense. You're sure it's her?"

Chloe shrugs, "Only one of the victims had any marks on him. The rest of them just...died. Like the others last week." Lucifer remains silent as pull into the parking lot of the bar next to a couple of other police vehicles and an ambulance. He exits the car and looks around, his features pulled into a grimace of distaste as he takes in the scene.

Chloe flashes her badge and walks into the bar with Lucifer close behind. A uniformed officer points toward the back of the space, "Vics are at the back, near the men's room." She nods, "Thanks. They have security footage?" The officer shakes his head, "No, they said their 'clientele' would stay away if they knew they might show up on a camera." Chloe rolls her eyes, "Of course they would," she grouses as she stalks away.

Lucifer's eyes scan the bar, trying to figure out what would have drawn Charlotte to this place and he can see nothing. _She already doesn't really like humans, why would she seek out some of the worst of them?_ He wonders. Realizing Chloe has walked away, he turns to follow.

An hour later, having no more information than when they started, Chloe and Lucifer are back in her car and driving to Sunset Strip. They arrive on the scene to find Olivia Monroe already there, and threatening to make heads roll. "There you are, Decker. What the Hell took you so long?" she growls at them. _The Hell_ , indeed, Chloe thinks.

"Deepest apologies, Lieutenant Monroe," Lucifer interjects in his most solicitous tone while he captures her gaze. "Our tardiness is my fault, I'm afraid."

"Yeah," Chloe interrupts him with a look, "Something...came up that required immediate attention." Lucifer gives her a nod, black eyes glittering as he barely keeps the grin off his face, _Well played_.

Lieutenant Monroe huffs in frustration, "You're here now, so, fine. Here's what we've got..." she gives them a tour of the crime scene, which comprises two separate sites. They walk to the alley and find two corpses, one of which has tell-tale bruising on his neck.

Chloe frowns as she lowers herself to examine the body, "Those marks don't look bad enough to be the cause of death."

Lucifer crouches next to her and frowns, "You think the poor fool suffered a coronary whilst being attacked?" The detective stands, "Not sure, yet. We'll see what the medical examiner finds."

Lieutenant Monroe points at a nearby ambulance, "We've got a live victim as well, but she doesn't remember anything." The policewoman frowns, "Not even her own name. We had to get it from her wallet." Lucifer perks up, "May I speak with her, Lieutenant?" Monroe shrugs, "Sure, but we've already had a psychologist on-site to try to talk to her. That went nowhere."

Lucifer and Chloe approach the ambulance where a middle-aged woman is lying on a stretcher wearing an oxygen mask on her face and an IV in her arm. Chloe looks at the EMT, "Who is she?" "Susan Brown," comes the answer as the EMT checks the IV. "She's going to be okay physically but she's very confused right now," she continues. "Thank you," responds Chloe before turning to the patient.

"Ms. Brown, I'm Detective Decker and this is my associate, Mr. Morningstar," she explains. "Do you feel up to answering any more questions? I promise it won't take long." The woman gives an exhausted shrug and a muffled "Sure" comes from the oxygen mask.

Lucifer steps closer and flashes That Smile, "Susan, darling, tell me what happened, hmmm?" The woman narrows her eyes as she tries to remember, "I told them, I don't remember. I just...woke up on the ground with all these people staring at me." The woman begins to cry, "I didn't even know my own name!" Chloe puts a hand on Lucifer's shoulder to ease him back and he looks down at her with a frown. The detective hands a card to the crying woman, "Ma'am, if you remember anything, will you give me a call?" Susan takes the card and nods sadly, "Sure."

The pair steps away and Chloe approaches a uniformed officer, "I want security footage of the whole area for the past 24 hours, 1-mile radius." The officer nods and hurries away. Lucifer looks down at her, "How do we know this woman's episode is related?" Chloe shrugs, "We don't, but it seems to be quite the coincidence, given what we think we're dealing with."

Lucifer frowns, _Something's not adding up. Why would Mum come harm all these humans only to bring Niall in safe and sound? She'd said he was feeding...something went wrong...oh no._

Chloe sees his expression grow dark, his eyes shifting to black, "Lucifer what is it?" He looks down at her, "I need to get back to Lux," he says simply. She cocks her head, "You leave the oven on?" He frowns, "What?"

She shakes her head, "We can't leave yet, they're pulling the security footage." Lucifer starts walking away, "I'll get myself there, then. Ring you later." "Wait!" she calls after him, "We need to..." but he's already disappeared into an alley. She races after him but he's already gone, evidently taken flight. "Of course," she mutters to herself as she walks back to the crime scene.

Flying high to avoid being seen, Lucifer makes a beeline for Lux. He lands on his balcony, folds his wings and makes for the elevator. Niall is nursing a glass of water at the bar, looking quite the worst for wear.

"What did you do?" Lucifer demands without preamble. Niall's head snaps up then his hand grips his temple as if to hold his skull together, "I don't know, sire," he responds miserably. "I'm trying to recall, but it's all bits and pieces."

Lucifer stalks to the bar and pours himself a drink, "Think faster. There are four corpses and one amnesiac that Detective Decker is currently investigating, and it's just a matter of time before she figures it out." He sips his scotch and gives Niall a hard look, "And you know what will have to happen after that."

Niall's already-pale face loses all color and he nods slowly as he looks down at his feet, "Yes, sire," he says quietly as his tail twitches nervously.

"How do you know it wasn't your mother?" Maze asks, ready to defend her sibling. "She brought him in but maybe she knocked killed those people, knocked him out and fed me that story."

Lucifer tosses back the contents of his glass and pours another two fingers' worth, "Because the hand that grabbed one of them by the throat was way too large to belong to my mum." Lucifer takes in Niall's sad state and walks over to rest a hand on the large demon's shoulders, "Look, let's find out what happened first. As Detective Decker says all the time 'there has to be a reasonable explanation' to all this." He rolls his eyes then looks at the ceiling, "But for the life of me at the moment, I can't think on what it is."


	23. Put The Gun Down

Niall stands outside Dae's apartment ringing the doorbell. His sunglasses are doing a piss-poor job of keeping the light from his eyes, contributing to the ceaseless throb in his head. _Come on_ , he thinks as his tail swishes. _Be home._ Using his telepathy makes his headache even worse, so he's relegated to operating as a human for the time being. He rings again.

Dae looks at her security screen and is surprised to see Niall at her door. She buzzes him in, "Why didn't you tell me it's you?" she asks as he exits the elevator.

He ducks his head and gestures around her apartment, "Kill the lights, love?" His voice is low and hoarse.

"What's wrong?" she asks as she moves around the space to comply with his request.

Niall sinks onto the couch with a groan and drops his sunglasses on the cushion beside him. "Oh, Dae," he whispers as he leans forward with his elbows on his knees, holding his head in his hands. His tail twitches in agitation.

Dae kneels before him and reaches to stroke his hair but he gently stops her. "Please...don't," he requests. "My head is killing me." She moves her hand to his leg instead. "What happened?" she asks.

"I...don't know," he begins slowly. "I went out last night. Started at my usual spot, near the apartment. Had a couple of drinks. Took the edge off. Went to a new place, not far from here. I wanted to come by afterward." He frowns and rubs his head, "Then it gets fuzzy."

Dae frowns and takes one of his hands, "I'm here. Let's walk slowly through it, okay?" He nods and winces, _Shouldn't have done that._

He closes his eyes and calls forth the visual memories of the evening, "I remember walking in. It's a biker bar. A few people stared at me, but I'm kind of used to that, so I ignored it. Opened a tab and sat down." He frowns and cocks his head, "There was music. Well, if you call it that. The band was completely mangled Lacuna Coil - talk about a crime against good taste."

Dae chuckles and squeezes his hand, "What happened next?"

Eyes still closed, he focuses again. "The singer came over and sat at my table. Scrawny ragamuffin of a thing. She was quite aggressive, which can be charming if one is in the mood for that sort of thing. I wasn't, but..." He squints his eyes open, "Her mind was...well, for a human, it was an absolute wreck. I can't describe it, really. It's like I was back in Hell."

Dae sits back on her heels, "Then what?"

He closes his eyes again, "I was intrigued. I'd gone in," he points to his head, "to try to take sex off the table but...and then she jumped on me. Literally leaped into my lap and kissed me." He looks down at his girlfriend, "I had no choice. I, um...sent her to sleep. She wasn't dead, I'm sure of it. But then I started to feel ill. Disoriented. I got up and..."

He closes his eyes to focus, searching his sore head for any more memories of the evening and comes up empty. "And then I woke up at Lux." Niall opens his eyes again and Dae swallows heavily to see they are bright green with emotion.

He squeezes her hand, "My lord tells me that four people are dead and one person was found with no recollection of their identity." His tail twitches and he looks down, "Dae, if I killed those people and Chloe finds out, my lord will..." he stops to inhale slowly then let the breath out. "He'll _unmake_ me," he finishes with a hoarse whisper.

Dae frowns thoughtfully, looking down at where their hands are intertwined. "First, we have to figure out what was going on with that woman from the bar. Second, we don't know that you did all that."

He frowns, "We're pretty sure I did. The problem is whether or not Chloe finds out it was me. And she probably will since my sire won't lie about it."

He stands up and paces while Dae moves to the kitchen to put on a kettle for tea. "I don't understand what was going on with that woman, Kellie. It was like she was on drugs or...something." His tail slashes back and forth as he mulls over all the details of the evening he can recall.

The kettle whistles and Dae prepares a mug of tea, which she hands to him, "What's this?" he asks.

"It'll help your headache," she smiles.

He sniffs it cautiously and gives her a dubious look, "Forgive my trepidation, love. Considering my past twenty-four hours, I'm sure you understand."

She smiles, "It's just honey, vanilla and chamomile with a hint of spearmint. Nothing dangerous, I promise. It's meant to be soothing."

Niall sniffs the tea again and closes his eyes, "It does smell lovely," he murmurs before taking a sip. "Mmmmmm. Thank you."

Dae sips her own tea as she stands next to him. "Instead of someone else paying you to solve _their_ mysteries, you have one of your own," she observes.

He nods, "I do. And it's awful. If...I survive this, I'll have a lot more sympathy for my clients, I can tell you that."

She chuckles, "So, approach this as if you were working for a client. What's your first move?"

Niall sips his tea again, "Go back to the bar and find out who that woman was. Track her down. Ask her questions."

Dae smiles, "Excellent. I'll get changed and go with you."

Chloe rubs her eyes and stares at the video screen. Her back aches from sitting in the same position in front of the computer for hours. Her head doesn't feel much better. She sips her cold coffee and restarts the grainy video from the traffic cameras. They don't show much. A couple of glimpses of the victims in crosswalks. The Strip is always crowded with people and it's dark.

There. _Damn. Niall was there_. Chloe's heart drops as she focuses on the demon's activities in the video. She frowns as she notices the absence of his usual grace. _He looks...angry. Or...something else. Definitely something wrong._ The traffic cameras focus on the street, so when he or the victims walk closer to buildings, it's difficult to keep track of them.

Chloe gets up and walks around the office to stretch and grab a bottle of water. She rubs her eyes and paces for a few moments. _We can place him at one of the scenes, but there's no confirmed contact with the victims. Damned cameras. Maybe I can catch it from another angle._

She returns to the computer to view footage from another angle and almost drops her water bottle on the keyboard. _Charlotte? Shit. Because this needs to be more complicated._

She rubs her eyes again and squints at the clock, 2am. _I need to get home before I'm too tired to drive. This would have gone faster with Lucifer here._ The detective collects her purse, keys and the flash drive with the camera footage to review again in the morning. There has to be at least one camera angle that places either Niall or Charlotte with one of the victims.

Chloe drives home and frowns as she parks in the driveway, _Tired of coming home to an empty house._ An ache settles in her chest as she thinks about Trixie. "God dammit," she mumbles as she drops her keys at the front door. She bends down to retrieve them, "I just want all this shit DONE with already. Create a new normal." _Without Dan. Maybe with Lucifer._

She opens the door and, sensing an intruder, immediately rips her gun from its holster.

"Hello, Detective Chloe Decker," Charlotte says pleasantly from the sofa, holding a picture of Trixie. "Let's have a chat."

 _Oh God. What the Hell? Home. Home. Home. Home_ , Chloe thinks desperately.

Charlotte smiles, "Don't worry, Chloe...may I call you Chloe?...I'm not here to harm you or your daughter." She raises her hands as Chloe approaches, with her gun still drawn.

"What do you want?" Chloe demands as she steps toward the kitchen, leaving the front door still open.

"Simply to meet this mortal who seems to have captivated my son," she simpers as her gaze flicks over the detective. "You don't seem to be anything special, but I've never really shared his fascination with humans."

Charlotte stands and returns the picture to the side table, then takes a slow step forward while Chloe tightens the grip on her gun, "You're just a waif of a thing, actually." She looks amused, "Wouldn't take much to snap your neck at all."

The woman's eyes darken as a malicious smile slides across her face, "Or even better. I could simply drive you mad."

"Get the Hell out of my house. _Now_ ," Chloe growls as she points her gun at the other woman's head.

"Mmmm...it seems you're a fiery one." She smirks, "He does enjoy spirit." Charlotte narrows her eyes as Chloe shifts position. Her jacket exposes the lower part of her neck where it meets the shoulders, "Amenadiel was wrong. He _has_ had you." Charlotte smiles and arches a brow suggestively, " _Possessed_. You."

Chloe scowls, "What are you talking about?" The fallen angel points, "Your neck, my dear. He likes to mark his favorites." Unbidden, memories from the previous morning spring forward and she blushes. Charlotte chuckles, "Oh. Lovely, indeed..."

 _Shit_ , Chloe thinks. _Focus. Home, Home, Home..._

Charlotte raises her eyebrows and smiles as her exploration of Chloe's thoughts is suddenly halted and she finds herself standing outside a castle with a dragon circling the sky. She laughs, the sound of it both musical and discordant. "I see my son's pet has been coaching you." She smiles indulgently, "It doesn't matter. I've seen all I need to."

She raises her chin defiantly, "Tell me, Chloe, what has my son told you of me?" Charlotte watches as Chloe's face darkens in anger, and she cocks her head, "So he told you about us, did he? I promise you he wasn't quite the victim he paints. He gave as good as he got." She snickers, "And he got it pretty good."

Chloe snarls as her gun remains trained on Charlotte, "That's disgusting. You're his _MOTHER_."

The taller woman shrugs, "I believe the closer word you humans use is 'stepmother.' He's older, so it's not as if I could have given birth to him even if we angels were made that way to begin with."

"Irrelevant," the detective hisses as she takes a threatening step forward. "What you did..."

Charlotte's smile is completely unexpected, "Oooooh, how precious. You want to kill me. Over what happened hundreds of thousands of years ago. Because you think I hurt him," her tone is one of wonder. "You know who he is. And you _care_ about him anyway." It's not a question. She narrows her eyes, "This is a fascinating development, indeed."

Chloe glares, "I know who he is, alright. In spite of what you and...his father...have done, he's a good man."

"A _man_ , you say? No, dear. You're a simple mortal, but even you know better than _that_." Charlotte smiles even more and steps toward the door, "I'll go for now. But don't worry - we'll certainly see each other again."

She makes for the door then turns, "Tell me, Chloe, what will become of you after he's had his fill and grown bored, hmmm? When you find yourself tossed aside like a used rag. It's what he does, you realize."

"Go fuck yourself," Chloe snarls as she fires a shot over Charlotte's shoulder.

The fallen angel laughs, "Best to my son, yes?" With that, Charlotte leaves the house. Chloe slams the door and locks it before texting Lucifer.

 _Need you here. Now._

Her phone buzzes almost immediately, _Detective, is this a booty call? devil emoticons_

 _No,_ she responds.

 _Where is here?_ He answers.

 _Home._

There is no answering text, but five minutes later, Lucifer walks into her front door, sword in hand. Chloe jumps in surprise, "How did you get here so fast?" She silently curses the tremble in her voice. Lucifer doesn't miss it and steps forward to wrap his arms around her, "It's not far as The Devil flies, darling. What's wrong?"

Chloe steps out of his arms and paces her living room, "Your mother was just here."

The lights in the house suddenly flicker as Lucifer's eyes glow red, "What? Where did she go? How did she find you?" He casts about, checking to see if she is still around.

Chloe steps back as the temperature around him spikes. She raises her hands in a placating gesture, "She left already but said she'd be back." The detective looks down at her feet and blushes.

Lucifer gives her a hard look, "What happened? What did she want?"

"She said she wanted to meet me." Chloe bites her lip and looks up, "She...um...knows."

He blinks and lowers his eyebrows, "Knows about _what_ , exactly?"

"Us. Yesterday," she gestures at her head, "She..um...saw. I tried, but..."

Lucifer shrugs, "Oh, _that_. I've taken lovers before. It's hardly a new thing, so I don't get why she should care." _Mum can't possibly know what this particular human means to me...can she?_ He wonders to himself.

Chloe notes the distracted look in his eyes, _So much for feeling special._ She rubs the back of her neck and sighs heavily, "Yeah, I know. Forget it." She walks to the kitchen for a glass of water and offers him one. "Look, about yesterday..."

Always one to switch gears quickly, Lucifer perks up and steps toward her, "Care for a repeat, darling?"

She steps back and puts her hand up, _Are you kidding me?_ "I'm good. No."

He leers down at her, "Yes, you certainly were, darling." Confusion darkens his eyes, "I thought now that we've had sex, you would be agreeable to...you know...doing it again? And again..." His eyes sparkle mischievously, "You certainly seemed to enjoy yourself," he leans forward to purr into her ear.

The detective shivers while she thinks of the right words, _So good. Such an ass_. "We need to talk."

He hums agreeably and looks around again, "Yes, we do. Mum knowing where you reside is concerning. You need to relocate."

Chloe pinches the bridge of her nose and squeezes her eyes shut, "I don't exactly have a second home, Lucifer. And I'm not going to live in a hotel."

He shrugs, "Stay at mine, then."

"Oh, no! Absolutely not!" she replies. _Seriously Hell no._

He opens his arms wide and turns to gesture rather generically about the house, "And you call yourself a detective. It may have escaped your notice, but you're no longer safe here."

She all but stomps her foot, "I said no. I won't be run out of my own home by a literal psychopathic bitch from Hell."

His eyes darken and he nods politely, "Fine. I understand your sentiment, but I don't agree with it. If you refuse to leave, then you'll simply have to allow me to stay here with you. I can bring Maze as well. I'm sure she'd love sleeping in your spawn's room with all those horrific taxidermic creatures."

Chloe snickers, "They're stuffed animals."

He huffs and waves dismissively, "Regardless. They're dreadful with their plastic "fur" and bulging eyes. Don't get me started on that clown doll on the shelf."

Her eyes widen, "Wait. You have the clown thing, too?"

He barely suppresses a shiver, "Horrible mockeries of humanity, those. I don't know how you endure them"

She shakes her head, "Oh no. _I_ didn't get it for her. Dan took her to a carnival and she won it with one of those skill games. Dan let her have whatever she wanted and he had a great laugh when she brought that home."

Lucifer rolls his eyes, "Another strike against Detective Douche, then." He grins, "You know I kept an entire section of Hell set aside for clowns."

Chloe raises her eyebrows, "You have a 'section of Hell' for everything, Lucifer." He shrugs, "Is there a problem, Detective? I prefer things to be organized."

She considers the state of his apartment and nods, "Yeah, you do. Almost OCD about it, actually. At least I guess I don't have to worry about you trashing my place while you're here."

He claps his hands together and leans forward slightly, "It's settled, then. I'll ring Maze," he reports and reaches for his phone.

Chloe stops him, "Don't. Just...one of you at a time, okay?"

He flashes a cheeky grin, "Mmmm...want me to yourself, darling? You have but to say so."

Chloe rolls her eyes hard before closing them. As soon as she does, Charlotte's words echo in her ears, "What will become of you?" She sighs heavily, _I'm too tired for this._

"Lucifer," she begins quietly. "I've truly had a day from Hell. Can you, for once, not turn everything into an attempt to have sex with me?"

He gives her a saucy grin, "Could help you sleep..."

She reaches into a nearby closet to retrieve bedding and pillows, then walks over to the living room sofa and yanks on the pull-out bed. After putting sheets, blankets and pillows on the mattress, she gives him a sharp look, "I'm going to bed."

He looks about to say something and she cuts him off, "Alone. To sleep." She points at the couch, "Make yourself comfortable. I'll see you in the morning." With that, she stomps upstairs leaving a rather confused Devil in her wake.


	24. Absolution

Lucifer sits on Chloe's back porch listening to the surf. The cigarette between his fingers is forgotten as it burns itself to ash, while he watches how the sunrise on the other side of the house lights the sky before it reaches the sandy beach. Dawn in reverse, as it were.

Focused on nothing. _What does she want?_

Unthinkingly concentrating. _Can I get her to simply go away?_

Wondering. Wandering. _Am I actually going to have to...hurt...her?_

His thoughts flicker to a better time, almost beyond his memory now. There was warmth and happiness. Camaraderie. A truly blessed connection of souls when peace reigned.

Then humans happened and everything flew off-center. The harmonic chorus of Heaven learned dissonance. It would never be the same.

The pure light above has been permanently stained by the bloody rainbow below. _Do we want it to be the same as before? Now that we know? Now that I know?_

So many petty squabbles. Arguments. Battles. Wars.

 _Can she be reasoned with? We loved once. All of us. Before._

 _Not now._

He blinks as the sun's reflection bounces off the onyx jewels set deep into his face. The orbs reflexively respond with their own show of flame. _What if she hurts Chloe? Beatrice._

Unbidden, a growl vibrates low in his throat. _Unacceptable._

His gaze drifts down to his elegant hands. Like the rest of him, they are possessed of surprising strength. Long, graceful fingers that have spent equal measures of time evoking pleasure and wringing pain. Drenched in blood.

For a moment, the crash of waves is drowned out by the howls of the damned. Screams of agony as punished souls beg forgiveness that is not his to give. A sharp, silent laugh. _I just pull the trigger._

Soft exhalation. _One more time._ Askance to the sky, _Finished then, yeah?_ Blink against the pricking sensation behind the eyes. _Please?_

He looks back down at his hands and swears he can actually see the claret stains, _Not bloody likely._

Lucifer flicks the spent cigarette onto the sand and slowly stands, stretching to his full height to brush his fingertips along the ceiling.

He glances back at the house. _Chloe will want to rouse soon. She'll likely require sustenance and caffeine in order to function_ , he considers as he pads quietly into the house. He rummages in the pantry and finds everything he needs for a proper batch of scones, "But nothing for clotted cream. Tsk. How do these people live?" he murmurs to himself. Donning the detective's 'Kiss the Cook' apron, he sets to work, finding a small measure of solace in the ritual of chopping, measuring and mixing.

An hour later, Chloe rolls over in her bed as she slowly wakes. The house smells like apples, cinnamon and coffee. "Mmmmmf...?" she mumbles as she attempts to bury her face in her pillow. The intoxicating aroma wafting from downstairs, however, has other ideas and she can't resist its allure any longer. She gets up from the bed and shuffles down the stairs to figure out the magic of whatever smells so good in her kitchen.

Chloe rounds the corner to see Lucifer sitting at her dinner table sipping coffee and delicately nibbling a scone. "You're still here," she says in sleepy surprise.

He smiles as he looks up from his phone, "Of course, darling. Where else would I be? Couldn't very well leave you to rest unattended now, could I?"

She squints at him and cocks her head, "I just thought you'd be...gone by now."

Lucifer arches a brow, "Oh, did you, now? It seems that's what you get for thinking, isn't it, Detective?"

Chloe shakes her head, laughing in spite of herself as she moves into the kitchen for a pastry. She carefully bites a corner and nods, "This is very good. Thank you." She pours herself a cup of coffee then leans against the island, "So...Niall was at the scene on Sunset Strip the other night. I saw your mother on the footage as well."

Lucifer watches her, listening intently, his expression unreadable.

She takes another bite of the scone and arches a brow, "You gave me your word that you will never lie to me."

He nods, "Correct."

Chloe looks him squarely in the face, "Did Niall do this?"

Lucifer exhales softly but doesn't break eye contact, "I don't know."

"Would you tell me if you did know?" she asks in a frustrated tone.

 _Would I volunteer that information? Absolutely not,_ he thinks. "If you asked, and I knew for sure that he did it, Detective, I would tell you the truth," he responds aloud.

Chloe takes a sip of coffee, "But if you found out, you wouldn't tell me on your own, would you?"

"Detective, if Niall did this of his own volition, there would be no need of your little organization to do anything about it at all. I would take care of it for you," he explains.

She glares at him, "That's not how this works, Lucifer, and you know it." Chloe points at him, "You know something, and you're not telling me. What is it?"

Lucifer huffs in frustration, "I don't _know_ anything yet, Detective. Mum brought Niall to Lux - he was unconscious. She said he was out feeding and she came upon him. That's all we know at the moment." He glares down, "Mum has merely a passing acquaintance with the trite notion of honesty, so for all we know, she tapped him on the head or somesuch and dragged him to the club in an attempt to get back in my good graces."

Chloe shakes her head in disbelief, "That's it?"

"Yes!" he insists. "When I left Lux, he'd just woken up with no recollection of the evening's events."

"Where is he now?" she asks.

Lucifer shrugs, "I don't know. Home, I suppose. Or with Dae. I don't keep a tracking collar on him, Detective."

"I need to question him, Lucifer," she insists. "He's a suspect."

He tosses up his hands, "Fine. I'll find him and deliver him to you, at Lux, for questioning."

Chloe shakes her head, "He needs to come to the precinct so I can take his statement."

Lucifer shakes his head, "Absolutely not. Detective, you know him. Do you honestly believe he went off on a rampage to kill four people?"

"He's a demon, Lucifer. I realize that means something not so scary to you, but it's a big deal to us humans. He's dangerous," she insists. The detective starts pacing, "You've been here five years and he's been...feeding...on people all this time. Oh God..."

He huffs, "Language, Detective?"

She glares at him.

"Look," he begins, "Niall is no more of a threat to humans than the rest of you are. Especially you Americans with your ready access to firearms." He scoffs, "I mean, really. It seems death by orgasm would be a much better way to go, don't you think?"

"That's ridiculous," she replies. "It's not possible."

Lucifer shoots her a pointed look, "Until somewhat recently, my dear, you said that _I_ am also not possible. Yet, here I am, King of the Underworld, making you scones for breakfast. There's a reason the French call it 'The Little Death'."

"You know what I mean," she retorts.

"I'm not sure that I do, Detective. What, exactly, do you want to have happen?"

"I told you," she replies, "I want to question him."

Lucifer sighs heavily and reaches for his phone, "Very well. I'll message to have him meet us at Lux later." He gives her a pointed look, "What did Mum want?" he asks.

Chloe shrugs noncommittally, "She just said she wanted to meet me." Not exactly the words, but close. _Captivated?_

He cocks his head in curiosity, "Did she now? Fascinating. I wonder how she got the idea that there might be...more than what I said when I introduced you." He pauses, "How long was she here? What did you talk about?"

 _He likes to mark his favorites._

Chloe shrugs again but he doesn't miss the blush on her cheeks, "Nothing, really. It was strange. She asked if I'd heard about her and that was pretty much it."

Lucifer stands and walks toward her, looking down as he approaches, "Really? And your response was...?"

She looks up at him, "She figured out that...I, um, knew." _He gave as good as he got._ A wave of nausea washes over her and she looks away.

"That's all?" he demands. "I find that hard to believe, Detective. Who's being cagey now, hmmm?" Lucifer stalks to the back door, "No matter. It seems this demand for disclosure goes one way."

He stops for a moment with his hand on the doorknob, "I will tell you when Niall has arrived for questioning, Detective. Good day."

Chloe quickly runs after him, "Lucifer..." As soon as his feet touch the ground behind her house, he summons his wings, flexes his shoulder blades, and takes to the sky. He's gone.

She stares at the spot he occupied a moment ago and shakes her head. _Dammit._

Niall and Dae arrive at the biker bar from the beginning of Niall's nightmare and duck under the police tape. The officers have cleared out already and bar staff are busily cleaning up after the horde of uniforms vacated the premises.

A large (for humans) man approaches from behind the bar and points accusingly at Niall, "Hey, asshole, you were here last night. I bet the cops want to talk to you."

The demon raises his eyebrows and adopts a polite expression, "Oh? Why is that?"

The man's face darkens, "You knocked out my singer, then two guys bought it back in the bathroom. You know anything about that?" His tone becomes threatening and Niall bites back a smile at the man's posturing.

"I'm sorry, I don't," he says with a kind smile as he reaches out silently to the man. "I'm Neal Schwartz and I'm a booking agent. I was talking to the young lady from the band but didn't get her name or anything. It seems she had too much to drink and passed out. I wanted to talk to her about a gig. Know where I can find her?"

The man looks away and shuffles his feet. Niall gently compels him to answer the question. "Yeah," comes the halting reply as he rubs the back of his neck. "Kellie is Rita's girl." He turns his head, "Rita! Get your ass over here. This guy has a gig for Kellie!"

A short, slender woman appears and walks over, wiping her hands with a bar towel. She looks up at Niall then over to Dae, "Who the Hell are you people?" she asks. Niall re-introduces them and repeats his story. The woman narrows her eyes at him, "They're playing at Fred's down by the docks tonight. You can talk to her there."

Niall nods politely, "Thank you for your time," then he and Dae leave.

For the remainder of the day, Lucifer throws himself into the minutiae of running Lux. It's not as easy as it looks. There are bills to pay, employees to hire and manage, set lists to plan. For once, it's a welcome distraction, but it doesn't completely remove the splinter in his heart over the past twenty-four hours. Leaving Maze to manage the rest of the details, Lucifer goes for a walk.

Idly watching his feet on the pavement, Lucifer doesn't notice where he's going or that dark has descended. The simple action of foot hitting sidewalk is soothing and he lights yet another cigarette as he walks on.

The Detective was certainly vexed earlier in the day. _Mum's doing no doubt. Wonder what she said. Wonder what both of them said, honestly._

Lucifer frowns. _Certainly now that we've had sex, Chloe should be more agreeable, but she's not. I don't understand. I'm certain she enjoyed herself. Heaven - and everybody else, really - knows I'm almost as good at that as I am at punishing people._

He huffs in frustration, _But she didn't seem to want to bring up the idea of doing it again at all. I just don't understand. Did I hurt her, perhaps? Go a bit too hard at it? That must be it. We were rather enthusiastic, but what else to expect after all that teasing and pent-up frustration_.

He sighs, a half smile lighting his lips, _I can't wait to do it again. Properly in bed, next time. All night. Perhaps with a bit more of the things I keep hearing these human women want...flowers and music and such. Once all this other business is out of the way._

He sighs as he flicks the cigarette butt to the ground, _What does Mum really want?_ he wonders. _She said she wants to stay here. With me._ An involuntary shudder. _What, exactly, does that mean?_

Lucifer lights another cigarette and looks around. Deciding he should turn back to Lux, he reverses direction as he takes a drag. _Why is all this such a mess? Not like I gave a damn about the sex. It was when she started to control me._ He exhales a cloud of nicotine smoke, _I'm a bit more...myself these days, though. And I'm onto her game._

 _We loved each other. Once. I miss those days._

"Hi, Lucifer," Charlotte says from nearby. Refusing the indignity of appearing startled, Lucifer opts instead to take a drag on his cigarette.

"Mum," he says shortly as he summons his wings.

She doesn't approach for fear he'll take flight, a legitimate concern as the feathered appendages stretch proudly behind him. "I just want to talk," she says quietly.

He frowns, "One would think that after hundreds of thousands of years, nothing remains to be said."

Charlotte takes a cautious step forward, "I can start with an apology."

Lucifer frowns, "Do you take me for simple? Fool enough to believe you're truly sorry for anything you've ever done? No thank you darling. Perhaps try that tired old line on your husband, hmmm?"

She bows her head, "I deserve that." Then she reaches up to nervously fidget with her hair, "I...um...visited with your detective friend today." He watches without responding while she continues. "She...cares for you a great deal, my son." Lucifer remains silent.

"She told me you're a good man," Charlotte laughs in amusement. "A man. I suppose it's her only real point of reference even though she knows better." She takes a slow step forward again, "She fired her gun at me."

This draws a response. He arches his brow and looks down, "Did she now? Did she find her mark?" Charlotte shakes her head, "No. It seems her aim is bad."

Lucifer chuckles in spite of himself, "It's quite good, actually. It seems she missed on purpose." He cocks his head, "I wonder why."

Charlotte shrugs, "She is inherently forgiving." She smiles softly as she takes another slow step forward, "I see why you are drawn to her."

He grinds the cigarette under his heel, "Don't know that I follow. Drawn to her?"

His mum laughs, "Darling, you marked her. And why wouldn't you? She's beautiful and brave. She cares about you." Charlotte sighs, "I just hope for both your sakes she can give you everything you need before..."

Lucifer gives her a hard look, "What do you mean? Before what? You will not harm her!" he steps forward angrily, his wings flaring out reflexively.

She shakes her head and waves him off, "Absolutely not, darling. I simply mean before her short, mortal lifespan comes to an ends. It will happen. And then what? She doesn't seem the sort to show up at your door...at the end. So when she ascends, you'll never see her again."

She watches as the expression on his face reveals he hadn't thought of that. Smiling inwardly, she steps forward and touches his arm, "I'm sorry. I thought you realized."

Lucifer looks away, "I...dammit."

Charlotte turns her back, mostly to hide the smirk on her face, "You deserve love, Lucifer. If you find it, for however briefly, with this human, then you should have it. Your broken heart will heal. Eventually."

"I...don't know that, Mum," he says quietly.

She turns to face him again, sympathy writ across her face, "I understand, darling. I wish I could spare you this pain, as it hurts me so much to see you endure it."

He looks to the sky and heaves a heavy sigh, So bloody unfair. We've already had an argument. Perhaps staying away would be best. For both of us.

Charlotte arches a brow, "Come. I see you're upset and that's never a good time for decision-making. Let's talk about other things. Happy memories to lighten this dire mood, hmmmm?"

Lucifer nods as he hides his wings and she takes his arm. They turn toward Lux and are soon chuckling over angelic antics from a happier time.


	25. Who Did That To You?

Lucifer slowly comes to his senses, _Oh Father, my head_ , he groans internally. _What the Hell happened?_ Before opening his eyes, he takes stock of his physical situation. Limbs appear to be sore but intact, laying on something cold, _I'm naked and...ugh...where's the goat that shit in my mouth?_

He rolls to his side and props himself up on an elbow, then squints owlishly as he looks around. _In my flat?_ He rises to his knees and looks looks down at himself to see he's covered in scratches. _Bloody Hell._ He uses the sofa to haul himself to his feet then, with his head still spinning, stumbles to the bar, where he pops the spigot off a bottle of scotch and pulls directly from it. He swishes the amber liquid around his mouth for a moment before swallowing as he glances around his apartment for signs of who- or whatever did this to him. Nothing. _What happened to me?_

His muscles scream as he shuffles toward the bathroom, then leans in to start the shower. The water heats to steaming and Lucifer steps in, grunting as the scalding hot water runs down his body. He sighs and turns his back, taking another long swig from the bottle as he tilts his head back into the spray. With his eyes closed, events from the past few hours come roaring back to him.

He sees Charlotte's face...feels her hands... _everywhere...get OFF OF ME_...his eyes snap open to the sound of crashing glass. Hyperventilating, he sits on the marble bench, resting his elbows on his knees and gripping the sides of his head. He stares blankly as the water washes the scotch down the drain.

Niall, Dae, and Chloe dash into Lux to find Maze waiting impatiently in the empty bar. "Where have you _been_? They've up there for _hours_." "LA traffic," Chloe issues a sharp reply. "We got here as quick as we could."

Maze opens her mouth to answer but Niall motions for silence, "Let me go up first." He points at Maze as he runs for the stairs, "Listen." She nods curtly, "Go!"

Not wanting to alert Charlotte if she's still there, Niall quietly opens the door to Lucifer's apartment and listens. Staying low, he slides behind the bar and draws a throwing knife. In the continued absence of any sound, he mentally casts about for signs of habitation. As he creeps from the bar toward the piano, he hears a soft, pained voice not speaking aloud. His eyes well as he listens, " _...stop...stop...stop..._ " Choking on a howl of rage, Niall continues his stealthy progress as the soft chant grows closer.

By the time Niall makes it to the bathroom door, he is confident he and Lucifer are the only ones in the apartment, so he sheathes his knife. He stands, out of sight, with his back to the wall and quietly calls out. " _My lord?_ " Niall hears a startled intake of breath and quick movement in the bathroom, but remains where he is.

" _I''m here, sire._ " He squeezes his eyes closed and takes a slow, deep breath. More scurrying in the other room, "What d'you want?" Lucifer demands out loud. "Go away."

Niall shakes his head and calls out, "I cannot, sire."

"I demand you go...Niall. I'm...fine," his voice sounds hollow as it echoes off the marble of the bathroom. "Please," Lucifer finishes quietly.

"I'm stepping into the doorway, my lord," Niall explains calmly. He does as promised and sucks in a sharp breath as he takes in the sad visage that is Lucifer Morningstar. The Lord of Hell is nude, sitting on the bench of his enormous marble shower, with a towel over his lap, water still raining down on him, and looking down at the shards of a quite-likely-priceless bottle of scotch on the floor.

Unable to stop himself, Niall takes a step forward. His tail thrashes as he takes in the scratches covering Lucifer's torso, "My lord," he whispers softly. "She...are you...?"

Lucifer sighs and speaks without looking up, "I'm fine, Niall. Just... _go_."

The demon draws his eyebrows together, "I'll not leave you like this, sire." He reaches in to turn off the shower and Lucifer doesn't move.

Niall procures a dry towel and steps into the shower, where he pulls the wet cloth off Lucifer, then proceeds to dry him as much as he can. His sire still doesn't move and continues to stare listlessly at the floor. Taking care to avoid the broken glass, Niall hoists Lucifer onto his feet and helps him out. The smaller man seems almost fragile as Niall finishes patting him dry then helps him into his dressing robe.

Niall reaches out silently and Lucifer finally looks up at him with empty, black eyes, "Don't," he says quietly.

Niall nods respectfully, "Of course, my lord. Let's just get you over to your..."

"Not the bed," Lucifer mumbles. "Certainly, sire...your sofa, then."

The demon helps his sire sit down then bustles to the bar for a fresh bottle and a clean glass. Setting them down on the table by the sofa, Niall then takes a chair across from Lucifer, tail twitching expectantly.

Lucifer doesn't bother with the glass and swigs directly from the bottle. "I'm not a child, Niall. You don't need to babysit me. Go on," he orders.

"Sorry, my lord, but I'm going to ignore that order for your own good." He sits forward, concern writ on his face, "What happened, sire?"

Lucifer coughs a sharp laugh, "Mum happened. I was angry. The Detective and I had a...disagreement, so I went for a walk." He huffs as his gaze slides to the windows behind Niall. "I confess I wasn't paying much attention. Lost in my thoughts. Poor decision, obviously. Suddenly, she and I were talking...and it...it seemed so normal. Comfortable in a 'familiar pain' sort of way." The demon nods in understanding then gestures for Lucifer to continue.

"It was almost how things used to be. We chatted about nothing, really. Sat at the piano." His eyebrows go up and he takes another swig of scotch, "I didn't even know she played."

"But then...I don't know," he pauses and looks down at the floor as if the words he is searching for are written there. "Things gradually seemed...darker. More...muffled. I can't explain it."

Niall nods and taps his temple, "She was in here, sire."

Lucifer scowls darkly, his eyes flashing red, "Then I woke up on my floor. A bloody fucking mess," he growls hoarsely. Another swig of scotch. "I close my eyes and see glimpses..." he squeezes his eyes closed and turns his head away. "They won't stop."

Lucifer suddenly stands up and throws the bottle out of the apartment, over the patio and off the balcony. His eyes are incandescent with rage as he screams from frustration. Niall remains seated and calm, watching as his sire paces furiously. He's seen Lucifer angry enough in the past - he knows not to try to stop it.

"She did it again, Niall. AGAIN!" The temperature in the apartment skyrockets, the windows vibrate and the lights flicker. The Lord of Hell pauses, his breath coming in pants as he alternately clenches and releases his hands into fists.

The elevator door opens and Lucifer whips his head around to see Dae, Chloe and Maze running out. The detective has her gun drawn and, sensing danger, casts about for Charlotte. "Where is she?"

"You need to leave," Lucifer states flatly as he glares at her. His eyes are still glowing and the snarl on his face promises retribution in the absence of obedience. Neither of the demons watching the exchange expects him to get it.

And he doesn't.

Chloe frowns and completely dismisses his order, "Don't be ridiculous, Lucifer. Where is she?" She steps closer, gun still drawn. The air around him shimmers as a reflection of his rage and Niall stands to intervene if necessary, "Sire..." he begins carefully.

"Leave us," Lucifer hisses to Dae, Maze and Niall. The demon siblings look at each other, clearly thinking the same thing. Hoping he doesn't do something he'll truly regret later, the trio heads down to the club.

Lucifer circles Chloe and looks down at her, "You defy me, Detective. Again. Must I punish you to get you to go away?"

She forces herself to look up at his face, uncertain if she's more terrified for herself or for him. "I've done nothing to deserve punishment, Lucifer. And you know it."

He continues to circle, _She's afraid. Good. The mortal needs to accept her place._ " _ **I**_ judge whether or not you deserve it. You are insolent and intrusive. Demanding when you have no right. You are guilty of quite a number of sins, my dear. Any one of them would send you to the pit. Why should I not take care of you right now?"

Chloe raises her chin, "What sins? What are you talking about?"

He coughs a sharp, humorless laugh, "Wrath. Pride. Envy." He licks his lips as his eyes rake over her, "Lust."

Panic washes over her, _Oh God._ She is silent as she looks away from his evil smirk, thinking hard about his accusations.

 _Wrath? I've never hurt an innocent person in anger._

 _Pride? I'm good at my job, but there's always room for improvement. It can't be a sin to simply be aware that you're good with something. I don't walk around bragging about it._

 _Envy? I can admit that I sometimes wish for things I don't have, like but these wants encourage me to work harder to get them._

 _Lust. Hmmmm..._ She thinks about the other morning and blushes furiously. _Want him? Without question. Cared about him first? Oh yes - as he did her, whether he wants to recognize it or not._

Taking a deep breath, she looks up into his burning eyes, "You're wrong," she says. "Even worse, you judge me when you are guilty yourself."

He grins maliciously, "I'm supposed to sin, my dear. I am Temptation, remember? Your accusations are meaningless."

She shakes her head, "Oh, no, Lucifer. I'm not saying you're guilty of sin. I'm saying you're guilty of being virtuous."

He blinks, "What?"

Chloe smiles and leans in, "Oh yeah. You've exhibited a whole slew of virtues. Faith. Charity. Courage. Diligence. Mercy. Honesty." She pauses and looks directly into his burning eyes, " _Love_."

Lucifer growls, "It is not your place to judge me."

She shrugs, "I didn't say it is. I'm just saying you might think about accepting what you've been trying so hard to get everyone to see."

"What's that?" he spits.

"That you're NOT evil," she says quietly.

He blinks again and steps back, "You're wrong. I am. I must be. It's...the only explanation."

Chloe notices a slight tremor of his hand and steps forward to comfort him, "No, it's not, Lucifer," she says quietly.

He backs away, his lips drawn into a snarl, "Don't TOUCH me." Lucifer's voice catches as the glow in his eyes fades, "Just. _Don't_."

She raises her hands and steps back to give him more space, "I'm sorry."

Lucifer's chest tightens as he reads the heartbroken expression on her face, "I'll not suffer your pity," he hisses.

Chloe's face darkens as her eyebrows come down sharply, "You're right that I feel pity, Lucifer, but it's not directed at you. It's for your mother when I find her."


	26. Something To Believe In

Lucifer turns his back and walks to the patio with his bottle of scotch.

 _We've done_ _ **this**_ _before,_ Chloe thinks to herself as she takes in his despondent posture. She pulls her phone out of her pocket and texts Maze, _Under control. I'll keep you posted._ Leaving the phone on the bar, she grabs a bottle of her own, pops the spigot and walks slowly out to join him.

She leans against the railing a couple of feet away from him and takes a swig from her bottle.

He leans far over, watching lights of the cars driving below, a burning cigarette precariously balanced between his fingers. They are silent for several long minutes until he sighs heavily then takes a long pull on the cigarette. _Nothing for it now,_ he decides. "I love you, Detective," he says simply, as he exhales a puff of smoke. The resignation in his tone is heartbreaking. The unspoken ' _What are you doing to do to me as a result?'_ hangs heavy in the air.

She nods and has another long pull. "Yeah. I know," she replies.

Lucifer frowns then turns his head, "What do you bloody mean, 'you know?' That's a bit cheeky, don't you think?"

Chloe gives him a long look, "You don't want to hear how I feel about you right now, Lucifer. It didn't go so well the last time I tried and you're a bit more trashed out at the moment than you were then." Another drink, "So I'm going to keep my mouth shut."

 _On the contrary, my dear, I find I'm quite desperate to hear you reciprocate._ His brows go even lower, "So that's all it took to shut you up all this time? Damnable woman," he growls softly.

She smirks at him and raises the bottle in a mock toast, "Probably damned. But that's _your_ call, right? So tell me, Great Lord of Hell. What's my punishment for daring to love you back?"

Lucifer steps off then turns his back, silently walking away for a moment as he forces his heart back into his chest from its current position in his eyes. He looks up to the sky, "I suppose that remains to be seen." _Your move, you bastard_ , he glares at the sky.

She gives him space and doesn't follow, watching the street below as he did a few minutes ago.

"What happens now?" he asks quietly, without turning to look at her.

Chloe draws her eyebrows together, "I don't understand."

He turns and she noticed he's slightly more pale than usual. Or maybe his eyes are darker. Hard to say between the dark and the booze that's become a more constant companion these days. "Well, I've surrendered to you, Detective. My...heart, as it were, is in your hands and yours to do with what you wish." He pauses then quietly grumbles "As unsettling as that is."

She gives him a pointed look, "What did you hope would happen after you said that?"

He shrugs and take another hit from the cigarette, "I'm not quite sure, exactly. Sex? I've seen enough on the telly to have a reasonable expectation you would at least _act_ as if you're happy about it. Maybe give that a try?"

Chloe chuckles, "You mean, as happy as _you_ obviously are?"

He nods, half-smiling another cloud of smoke, "Touche'."

"What are you _afraid_ might happen?" she continues as she takes a step forward.

Lucifer looks into her face and takes a corresponding step back, "Well, honestly, a number of scenarios came to mind. Nothing pleasant, I assure you."

She sighs, "You don't trust me."

"I do!" he quickly responds. "I...do...trust you, Detective. Really. I just..." He stops and sits down. Defeated.

"You don't trust yourself," she finishes for him.

 _Trust that I'm worthy of...that? Certainly not._ "If your spawn were irredeemable," Lucifer begins softly, "...possessed of no virtues whatsoever...unworthy of even the barest of affection...how would you respond?" His voice is a velvet sandpaper glove that strokes her nerves, reaches into her chest and squeezes. Hard.

Instead of turning to him, she scowls at the sky, addressing the one she feels really needs to hear the answer. _Learn this lesson, asshole._ "I would love her even more. Let her know every day that she IS worthy. And just because _she_ may not feel she has any good qualities, _I_ see them and I would spend my last breath showing them to her. I would not have invited her into my life if I were unwilling to see her for who she's trying to become."

Chloe finally turns to look at him, "Above everything else, she would know without a doubt she is safe with me and I will protect her from all harm to the best of my ability. What I want her to become is irrelevant. My job as...her parent...is to love her unconditionally."

Lucifer's brown-black eyes are wide as they stare at her, feeling the truth of her words sink into his bones. Gobsmacked.

She takes another swig from the bottle in her hand then walks slowly toward the apartment. "You've had a long day. I should get home."

"Stay."

She stops walking but doesn't look at him. _How is it possible for one word to say so many things?_

"Please," he rasps.

Chloe turns to see his elbows on his knees, head bowed. Broad shoulders bent from carrying too much for too long. His forehead rests against the base of his thumbs, palms together as if in prayer, long, beautiful fingers entwined.

She crosses the distance between them and drops to her knees, reaching up to run her fingers through the short but thick curls on his head. He shoves against her, a wordless, ragged breath fills his lungs. Chloe tugs on his hands as she rises to her feet, "Come on," she says softly.

Lucifer does as she asks, "Where are we going?"

" _You_ are going to bed," she answers. He cocks his head in confusion, "Alone?"

She smiles as she reaches for the gun in her holster then sets it on a chair near the bed, "Not alone. I'll be watching over you."

"Maze can watch over us. Join me," he pleads as he sits on the bed and tries to tug her with him.

She shakes her head, resolute, "No. _I_ protect what's mine. Get some rest," she reaches out to stroke his cheek then he climbs into bed. He leaves the dressing robe on and Chloe kisses his forehead as she pulls the blanket up. "I'll be right here when you wake up," she promises.

Chloe collects her phone from the bar and settles into an oversized leather chair, her gun within easy reach. She sends another text downstairs, _He's going to sleep. I'm on watch up here. You keep point down there._

 _Done,_ comes the answering text.

Dae and Niall find Fred's bar near the docks just as Rita said earlier in the day. Niall pays the cover and they find a table near the back.

"What do you expect to find out?" Dae asks as she sips a glass of water.

Niall leans onto the table with his elbows, obviously nervous, "I don't know, honestly. Like I said, I'm pretty sure she's human but," he taps his temple, "something was wrong." He sips his drink, tail twitching inobtrusively under the table. "Maybe she's a fugitive from home."

The pair doesn't have to wait long for the band to take a break. Dae quickly slides through the dark bar to approach the singer, quietly mentioning she's with a booking agent that wants to speak only to her. Kellie nods and follows.

When the ladies arrive at the table, Kellie stops and stares at Niall, "You look familiar, do I know you?" she asks.

He nods politely and gestures for to have a seat. "Sort of, Kellie. We met last night." Niall listens to her thoughts for a moment and is relieved to find they are rather mundane. "Oh shit, did I fuck this guy last night?" figures rather prominently.

He releases a slow breath and gives her a friendly smile while he silently encourages her to relax. Dae waves a waitress over and orders drinks.

"I caught your show last night," he begins. She shakes her head, "We were off last night. The guitarist was out sick so we had another guy sub. He was awful."

The waitress brings drinks and Kellie swigs her beer, "Back at full strength tonight, though. Let me know what you think!"

Niall is happy that, for all intents and purposes, this human female is normal as they come. Dae, he says silently, " _Something must have...interfered with her last night. I need to..._ " he looks at her and arches a brow.

Dae nods and takes the fore on talking to the other woman while Niall engages in a bit of mental spelunking. She talks to the singer about the night before and Kellie is all to happy to complain about how the entire night went wrong, "I passed out at some point and woke up on a table with a bunch of cops around."

She looks at Niall, "So, if you came last night and saw how much ass that sucked, I'm real sorry. Stay tonight and I promise to make it up to you." The invitation is clear and Niall chuckles silently to Dae, "That certainly didn't change from last night." He reaches across the table and takes her hand. "I appreciate the invitation, Kelly, but we really must be going. Please forget we were here, alright?" Her eyes glaze for a moment and Niall ushers Dae from the club.

They leave the building and Niall instantly being spacing angrily, "She was laced by Amenadiel. He slipped her something then suggested she present herself to me. Dammit!" Dae looks up confused, "What do you mean 'laced'?"

The demon looks down, tail slashing angrily, "He slipped her something. Angels can coerce humans as easily as I can. This was isn't so smart, so it wasn't difficult at all." He looks down, eyes wide, "He poisoned me, Dae." He rakes his hand through his hair, "Oh, sire, I killed those people. He's going to un-make me."

Dae places a staying hand on his arm, "Hold on. Why would Amenadiel poison you? Isn't he supposed to be helping us return their mother to Hell?"

Niall shakes his head, "He's always hated me. Not sure why. I guess it's because he's always been jealous of my sire." He frowns, "But...yeah. He's supposed to be helping."

"Lucifer seems like someone willing to listen to reason. Maybe if you explain to him..." she suggests.

He shakes his head and slashes his hand downward, "No. When it comes to interfering with free will, there are no excuses. If Chloe finds out and demands something be done...my un-making is the only outcome." He sighs heavily, "The only thing left to do is throw myself on his mercy. It's not something he's earned a reputation for having."

Lucifer wakes up in a twist of sheets and dressing robe, with one foot hanging off the bed. He opens his eyes slowly to see the sun starting to rise and he stares at the ceiling, processing events of the past couple of days.

 _As humans say today, I am so over all of this_ , he thinks to himself. _Done. Finit._

He inhales slowly, holds it, then releases it at an equivalent pace. At least he slept well. Not as though exhaustion gave him much choice.

 _But...Chloe._ He turns his head, craning his neck to see her slumped over in the chair, and smiles affectionately as she snores softly. _Poor darling._

Lucifer rolls over on his stomach for a better view and lays there, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. His eyes travel over her, enjoying a quiet, unguarded moment to simply look at her. He inhales slowly, recalling the scent of her hair and his gaze lingers on her face. He smiles as he imagines the expressiveness of her eyes - especially when she thinks he isn't watching. And he is _always_ watching. Her mouth. Slow exhalation. _Her mouth_. Soft exhalation.

Reluctantly, his gaze continues to drift. Dressing as she does, one would never guess the wiry strength hidden under her clothes. The power of the heart tucked beneath her ribs. The passion that stays safely tucked away. He closes his eyes and smiles softly then opens them again to travel down her legs. Lucifer feels a familiar, growing tension as he recalls how those legs felt wrapped around his hips. Dragging him closer.

The sound of her laughter and smart-assed remarks echo in his ears. The way she swears under her breath thinking he doesn't hear her. Because he's always listening, as well. _Detective has a potty mouth_ , Lucifer muses with a smirk. But, Father, how she sounds when she's coming undone. _Is it warm in here?_ He shifts the aforementioned hips to relieve the building pressure, biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from groaning aloud at the friction.

Chloe rouses to the feeling she's being watched. Wincing around the stiffness of her neck, she slowly opens her eyes and sees she isn't wrong. Laying on his stomach watching her, his eyes softly glowing in the dark, is The Prince of Darkness Himself. _Who wakes up looking like that? Not fair,_ she thinks to herself. _Not fair at all._

"Hello," she smiles around the dryness of her throat.

"Heh-loh," he responds softly, giving her goosebumps.

She chuckles, "Kind of weird to wake up to your," she gestures toward his face, "glowing eyeball thing." Lucifer doesn't say anything but flashes a cheeky grin as his eyes get brighter.

Chloe shakes her head, "You seem to be feeling better."

"Mmmm...I think so, Detective. Well, except for this one thing." He arches a brow, "It's a rather large problem, actually." _Especially if you keep looking at me like that._

Chloe blushes and laughs as she rises from her chair. He watches, a soft smile on his lips, as she stretches then walks to the bar for a glass of water. She glances at a bookcase on her way back to his bedroom and stops, raising her eyebrows as she notices some of the titles, some in languages she can't decipher. She points to a title with what appears to be Greek lettering, "What's this?"

Lucifer rises from the bed, drawing his robe around him to respect her modesty, "The Iliad, in ancient Greek, of course." Her eyes widen, "You read ancient Greek?" He shrugs, "Obviously, my dear."

Chloe points to the book next to it, unable to read the Chinese characters, "And this?" He raises his eyebrows, "That's The Art of War. In Chinese."

She gives a small huff in surprise, "I'd have pegged you for a Fifty Shades kinda guy."

He scoffs and rolls his eyes, "Father, no."

She shoots him a look, "Really? I thought you'd be all over that bondage stuff."

Lucifer huffs again and shakes his head, "Absolutely not, Detective. I mean, consensual play with restraints is great fun, but that book is a cover-to-cover violation of a person's free will. Pardon the pun, but it's offensive as Hell." He points to another book with characters on the binding Chloe doesn't recognize, "I'm more of a Kama Sutra chap. In original Sanskrit, of course."

Chloe raises her eyebrows, "You read Sanskrit?" He shrugs, "Of course, darling." He chuckles as he walks toward the bar.

"What's so funny?" she asks in confusion.

Lucifer gestures to her then starts assembling the espresso maker for their morning caffeine, "You, my dear. You've been 'in the know,' for a bit now, but it seems you still struggle with it."

Her turn to shrug, "Well, I've had a lifetime of my...I guess, previous...belief system. Still trying to understand all this...you...stuff."

"Hmmm..." he responds. "And how is that going for you?" He flashes a naughty grin, "Perhaps another go against the wall to help clear your mind?"

"I'm...uh...no," she responds shakily. His grin gets bigger as he watches her blush and stammer. He leans forward, resting his elbows on the counter, "Whyever not?" He frowns, "Wait. Did I hurt you, darling? Is that it?"

Her eyes widen, "What? No! No. You didn't. It was...it was great, but..." she bites her lip and looks away

"You're frightened," he observes quietly. "My dear, you must know I would never..." he stops as she shakes her head.

"It's not you, Lucifer. It's me," she answers.

He coughs a laugh, "That's a bit cliche', don't you think?"

Chloe looks at him with raised eyebrows, "I lost control of myself, Lucifer."

Lucifer smiles gently, "Perhaps you should relax some of that control a bit more often, then."

She growls in frustration, "You don't understand. I operate on two principles: I am nothing if not reasonable and I have nothing if not control over myself."

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" he asks as he steps around the counter toward her.

Chloe coughs a sharp laugh, "Lucifer, when I was a cadet, I had a classmate shoot me so I would understand what it felt like when I have to do it to someone else." She hastens to reassure him after seeing his expression, "Just a graze, but still. It gave me enough understanding to stop me from doing it on impulse."

"That was a lot of trust you put in your classmate, Detective. What if they missed?" he asks. She smirks, "He didn't. He still gives me crap about it sometimes, but it's a good laugh."

"You really are relentless with this whole 'need to understand' business, aren't you?" he asks.

Chloe looks up at him, "Yeah. That's why this...the other morning...was so disturbing. I don't understand...you...this...'us' thing...I can't even conceive the possibilities." She huffs in frustration as he raises his hand to stroke her upper arm, "I don't need a relationship or that whole picket fence thing. I just need..."

He smiles softly, "...order."

She nods.

"And there will be no order for the foreseeable future," he murmurs as he draws her close.

Chloe buries her face in his chest and nods again as he kisses the top of her head.

"Do you trust me, darling?" Lucifer asks quietly.

A muffled affirmative comes from where she is nestled against his dressing robe.

"Even though you don't understand me?"

Nod.

He hugs her tightly and blinks rapidly, "This is 'faith,' my dear. That you have it, as it relates...to me...is a gift. Thank you."

The rustle of feathers warns them they are no longer alone, "I see you got your moment after all." Amenadiel comments from the balcony.


	27. Blood on My Name

Lucifer smirks at Amenadiel, "Maze is downstairs if you're in need of your own 'moment' bro."

The angel's expression is unreadable as Lucifer releases Chloe and walks toward him. "How is your progress on finding Mom?" Amenadiel asks.

Lucifer opens his dressing robe enough to reveal the scratches on his chest, "Mum found me last night," he replies darkly. "This needs to end. And soon." He turns to look at Chloe and his expression softens, "I've got other business to attend and she's spoiling my fun."

The dark angel scowls, "You're not here for 'fun,' Luci. You've got a job to do." He pauses to look at Chloe, then back to his brother, "And once you've done that, you'll return to your regular job."

Lucifer turns his back, laughing, as he approaches the bar. He pours a demitasse of espresso and sips before responding, "Not going back, remember? Once mum is corralled, my end of the bargain is done."

Amenadiel shakes his head, "No! You can't stay. You. CAN'T." He alternates clenching and releasing his hands into fists.

Lucifer scowls, "We've been over this already. I QUIT. That you're not smart enough to understand that doesn't make it less true. If YOU don't want the job, then petition Dear Old Dad to give it to someone else."

Amenadiel visibly shakes with rage as he stalks toward Lucifer.

The brothers are so focused on their argument they don't notice the elevator open.

They also don't notice seven feet of enraged demon launching itself straight at Amenadiel until Niall's massive fist connects with the angel's face, knocking him clear out onto the balcony.

Lucifer whirls around, shock and anger writ across his face, "What the bloody Hell was THAT for?!"

Instead of answering, Niall growls viciously and runs to the balcony to further engage Amenadiel, who is trying to right himself for flight. The demon gets there first and brutally grabs one charcoal wing, squeezing hard to grind delicate bones together. Amenadiel cries out in agony as he forces his wings to disappear. Before Niall can regroup to grapple him, the angel launches himself over the railing and summons his wings again. He hovers out of reach, "You are an abomination," he hisses.

"Get down here so I can rip your feathers off," Niall growls. "You couldn't take me on yourself, so you had to poison a HUMAN to do it. You fucking coward!"

Lucifer flies to address Amenadiel "Is this true? You poisoned him, causing him to kill those humans? _More_ mortal blood on your hands?" He gives a harsh laugh, "Father's going to love this."

Chloe's head swivels so fast between them her head begins to spin, _What? Niall DID kill those people, but because Amenadiel poisoned him?_

Amenadiel scoffs as he looks down in disgust, "You were supposed to _die_ and go back to Hell where you all belong!"

Maze, having come up with Niall and Dae, feels rage boiling in her veins, _He was using me._ While Lucifer hovers to berate his brother, the demon walks over to Niall and draws her dagger. "Throw me," she growls. He nods and puts a large hand out. Maze hops up lightly and as soon as the balance is correct, Niall launches her through the air at the angel. She lands and instantly wraps an arm around her neck, pulling back with the other to strike a blow with her dagger.

Finding himself suddenly under attack, Amenadiel tucks his wings and drops into a diving roll. Maze is tossed off and starts hurtling to the ground. Free of his attacker, the angel quickly flies away.

Horrified, Lucifer flexes his shoulders and reaches Maze in one wing-stroke. He catches her then pulls up, finally righting himself then returning to the balcony. "Bloody Hell, Maze, what were you thinking?" They land and Lucifer scowls darkly.

He rakes his hand through his hair as he stalks to the bar where he tosses back three fingers of scotch. He pours himself another, seething while he paces back and forth as his eyes glow a dull, angry red. Maze joins him while Niall stares over the balcony as if he could will the rogue angel to return for round two. His tail slashes angrily behind him as a low growl emanates from his chest.

Chloe and Dae look back and forth at the emotional carnage around them. Then they look at each other, eyes wide. _Shit._

Reaching for the comfort of her profession Chloe walks slowly out onto the balcony to address Niall. Concerned for her safety, Lucifer joins her. "Niall," Chloe begins, "What happened?"

The demon has a white-knuckled grip on the railing and stares up into the sky, his tail still lashing angrily. He breathes heavily as he fights to control himself. When he speaks, his voice is very low and measured, "Amenadiel did something...poisoned a human and set her in my path. She...behaved in a way that gave me no choice but to subdue her. I didn't hurt her - I can show you! But in doing so, I interacted with whatever he did and..." Niall dares a glance at Lucifer then hangs his head. "I lost myself, my lord." He turns his stricken gaze to Chloe, "I killed those people, Chloe."

The temperature in the immediate area increases and Chloe risks a glance at Lucifer. As expected, his eyes are glowing angrily as he looks down at her, "What do you intend to do about this, Detective?" he asks quietly. She shivers involuntarily but isn't sure if it's because she feels threatened or also furious. Probably some of both.

The detective steps back and turns to pace quietly, also catching Maze's questioning look. "I don't know," she says simply. She gestures to Niall, "I should arrest you, but...LOOK at you." Chloe steps closer and points at his back. "You have a fucking TAIL." She points toward his head, "And HORNS." She gestures to her own head, "And you can do all that...mind stuff."

She huffs in frustration while she taps her finger to her lips. "If people actually KNEW about...you," she gestures to Maze, "And you..." then looks at Lucifer, "...and Oh, God, YOU..."

Lucifer opens his mouth and she points at him, "Don't."

"Shit," she huffs again and paces some more. "Amenadiel needs to come back so I can shoot him. This position he's put me in...DAMMIT!" She issues a loud growl.

Chloe walks to the bar and pours herself a drink. _It's morning and I'm having scotch. This is fucking great_ , she grumbles to herself as she tosses it back.

"Detective," Lucifer begins carefully as he walks toward her, "Perhaps I can help."

She glares at him, "What can you do, Lucifer?"

Niall steps forward, "He can send me back, Chloe. Or..." he bows his head to look at his feet. "My lord can un-make me if the two of you believe that needs to happen." Lucifer turns sharply and Dae runs up to grab the demon's arm, "No!"

Chloe feels a wave of nausea wash over her, "I can't order...that. And...we need you here for now." She paces some more, "I need to figure out what to do with the investigation in the meantime." She looks at Lucifer, "But I can't lie."

Lucifer arches a brow and gives her a pointed look, "Are you asking for my assistance with that, Detective?" She frowns, "You don't lie, either." He grins, "Of course not, darling. I certainly don't intend to begin now."

Chloe cocks her head, "We deal with this," she points at Niall, "when your family drama is finished?" Lucifer claps his hands together and bows slightly with a nod, "You have my word."

She turns to Niall, "I'm still nervous about you being here, though. This...feeding...thing you do, what, exactly, is it?"

Niall squirms visibly and looks at Lucifer, who shrugs, "Go on then, tell her." The demon rubs the back of his neck and looks back at Chloe, his tail swishing nervously. "It's...difficult to explain."

She crosses her arms, draws her eyebrows down and glares, "Try."

He sighs and takes a deep breath, "Sort of how Dae explained before, everyone has a certain energy. Life force, if you will. The...specific energy that I...tap into, so to speak is desire. Any sort of desire will do but lust works best."

She nods, "ooookay..."

Niall raises his hands, parallel to each other but perpendicular to the ground, and shuffles his feet a little, gesticulating as he talks. "When I am out...feeding...I approach someone if they initially seem interested. We'll interact a little, I 'encourage them' to get closer, if they've a mind to do it, then I draw just a touch of the energy created by their interest into myself."

Chloe furrows her brow as she cocks her head. "Not sure I understand this "drawing energy" thing. Show me."

"Excuse me, but you want me to _what_?" Niall asks, not believing his ears. His tail twitches nervously as he looks over to Lucifer, concerned over his sire's reaction. "You...condone this, my lord?" he asks, taking a small step back from Chloe.

Lucifer sips his scotch and watches the exchange between his lover and his progeny. He cocks his head, "Why are you asking for this, Detective? Certainly you understand there are...risks?"

Chloe sets her jaw and looks Lucifer in the eye, "I do. It's why I'm asking. I need to understand what Niall... _does_ normally, so I understand whether or not he's safe to allow "topside" as you call it."

Lucifer's smile drips with sin, "Come on, Detective. Admit it. You want a threesome. A little supernatural Eiffel Tower action. Don't be embarrassed, we've done it before and would be happy to oblige."

She narrows her eyes and frowns at him, "Gross. No."

Niall shakes his head, "I would really rather not, Chloe." He looks at Lucifer, " _Back me up, sire?_ " he asks silently. " _Please?_ "

Lucifer thinks for a moment then nods, "I agree with the Detective. Do it."

"Sire!" the demon protests. "But she is...yours."

Lucifer shrugs, " _It's her free will, love. Enjoy."_

Chloe frowns, "I don't belong to anybody, Niall. This is _my_ decision." Her eyes flick to Lucifer, "It's not like we're going to have sex."

"That would be less intimate," Niall grumbles as he steps forward. "Alright. Let's get this over with, shall we?"

Chloe laughs, "Am I ugly? Is that why you don't want to do this?"

"Lord no!" he replies vehemently. "Quite the contrary, you're quite lovely." He rakes a hand through his curls and nervously scratches the base of one of his horns, "I just typically consider my sire's...known companions...off-limits. Easier that way."

"What do I need to do?" she asks. Niall gestures to the sofa, "Why don't you have a seat?" He looks pained, "How um..." he looks at Lucifer, "...much?"

Lucifer chuckles as he raises his glass to Chloe, "What do you think, darling?"

The Detective looks at Niall, "How much control do you have?" He shrugs, "I must admit, it's pretty tight. I can do it so you don't even notice, or you can wake up tomorrow." He smirks, "What's your poison?"

Lucifer chimes in from the bar, "Thinking on it, darling, why don't you leave her operational for this evening?"

Chloe shakes her head, smiling, "You're such an ass."

She turns her gaze to Niall, "Just like you normally do it. I'm someone at a club, you're out doing your thing...read me?"

He nods, "I understand. You need to make an accurate assessment of my threat level." The demon gestures to the sofa, "Have a seat, please?"

The detective follows his instructions, her heart fluttering nervously. _Relax_ , he tells her silently. _You need to pretend you are also out having a good time_.

"Right," she responds aloud.

Chloe takes a deep breath as Niall sits on the floor in front of her. He raises her chin and smiles as he gazes into her eyes. It's not difficult to muster some interest on her part and he reaches out to encourage it along.

Nothing happens. _Interesting_.

He tries a little harder but still reads no change from her initial, polite level of interest. He chuckles and looks down as he shakes his head, "I suppose I now get to ask, Chloe. Am _I_ unattractive?"

She blinks, startled, "No! You're...well...no. Not at all." She frowns, blushing, "Why do you ask?"

Niall shrugs, "I'm sitting here trying to elicit more of a reaction and hitting a brick wall. You're being polite enough, of course, but I'm trying to fan the flames, so to speak, and...nothing."

Lucifer interjects, "It seems she resists compulsion from you as well. Somehow I feel less special," he chuckles.

Chloe scowls, "Now what?" Niall strokes his chin, "You really want to do this?" She nods emphatically, "Absolutely."

He arches a brow, "I could go with a more direct approach," he looks over at Lucifer again, "If, of course, you, Dae and my lord approve." She narrows her eyes, "Direct approach?"

He grins and his tail twitches again, "I kiss you, Detective." She blinks and leans back, unconsciously look at his mouth. His grin grows more mischievous, "Oh, so you really _don't_ think I'm unattractive. That's a relief," he laughs.

Lucifer shoots them both a look and waves dismissively, "This is the Detective's decision."

Chloe looks at Dae, "Are you okay with this?"

Dae nods sharply, "It will allow him to stay, then yes. As you already said, it's not like you're having sex."

Niall gives Chloe a rueful grin, "As much as you might want to afterward...and I'm going to apologize for that right now."

Lucifer chimes in again, "Happy to clean up after you, my dear."

Chloe shakes her head, "You're incorrigible," then she looks at Niall. "Fine. Let's get this over with."

Niall gracefully rises to his knees and smiles softly down at her, "As the lady wishes." He leans down and brushes his lips across hers softly while a hand comes up to stroke her cheek.

Chloe closes her eyes as his lips press more firmly against hers and she is gratified to discover they are as soft as they look. Not that she was looking, of course. She hears his silent chuckle, _Busted_ , and feels an arm encircle her shoulders as his tongue flicks across her lower lip. She opens her mouth and her lips tingle slightly.

A pleasant flood of warmth washes over her and it begins to spread as his tongue delicately slides in. Lucifer's mouth is warm, of course, but this is entirely different as Niall's kiss seems to consciously move _through_ her, dance down her spine and play her nerve endings like a harp. The effect is both relaxing and arousing at the same time.

Without much thought, she wraps her arms around his neck to draw the warmth closer. As the kiss deepens, the warmth reaches into her limbs. She can't recall the last time she felt so relaxed and the sensation from her lips a moment ago seems to be relocated itself to more sensitive tissue.

The feelings seem to feed each other, growing into a seemingly contrary sensation of languid hunger and she reflexively squeezes her thighs together as the earlier tingling slowly morphs into an ache. An echoing sensation, as if Niall were actually touching her intimately, wrings a soft moan from her.

Niall draws her closer as he very carefully sips energy from her, stopping every few moments while they kiss to monitor her condition. Another quiet moan slips from her as she grips him tightly.

From his vantage point in the nearby chair, Lucifer raises his eyebrows and sips his scotch as he wrestles with whether to join them or stop them.

Niall can't resist a purr of pleasure and smiles into the kiss at her responding shiver, _Damn, sire. That was just lovely_. He eases Chloe back onto the sofa, taking care to not touch her more than necessary. The demon strokes her cheek again and slowly eases out of the kiss, pulling away to look down at her.

Chloe's eyes flutter open and her hand slowly reaches to her lips, "Oh my God," she says softly.

Lucifer shakes his head from the chair, "I think you mean 'Thank _me'_ ," he mutters. "And you're welcome."

She remains on the sofa while she processes the various feelings. _This is what happens to his...I can't really call them victims, can I?_

Niall looks down, taking in her dilated pupils and slightly accelerated breathing. "You okay?" he asks softly. "My lord will un-make me right here if I've hurt you."

Chloe looks up at Niall's concerned smile and blushes furiously, "That was...I..." She takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. "Yeah. I'm okay," she reassures him with a sleepy smile. She grins at Dae, "You're a lucky girl."

He returns the grin, "So is my lord."

Lucifer stands up, "Alright! Alright! That's enough of you two making googly eyes at each other. This is research," he harrumphs. "Now, if you're done snogging yourselves brainless, Detective, shall I send him on his way or un-make him so he doesn't threaten any more humans?"


	28. The Fallen

Amendadiel flies over the city, soaring above the clouds to avoid being seen by the humans, cursing his luck. He wasn't meant for any of this.

He was a messenger under Gabriel's command, tasked with bringing orders to different legions of Heaven. He wasn't made for coming down to Earth at all. Was never curious about it. Didn't care. He had his job and thought he did it well. The higher ranking angels seemed content with his work.

That was before The Fall.

Things changed after Lucifer tore the Heavens asunder with his demands for free will and consequences. "Blind obedience creates nothing but contempt and hatred," he insisted. "Embracing free will and allowing for its consequences leads to greater understanding of each other. Creativity. Compassion. Love! We can learn so much if we are simply open to it."

Second only to their Father, sure, but his demands were still above his station. _He should have known better. Father cast him out without a second thought and it frightened everyone into that 'mindless obedience' The Morningstar railed against._

Do. Not. Question. You might be next.

And that was fine with Amenadiel. Life was ordered. Peaceful. He was content flitting through the heavens delivering missives.

But even angels get bored. Idle hands and all that. There were surreptitious forays down to Earth to have a closer look at their Father's new favorites, especially among the newer angels.

Things. Happened.

And Amenadiel frowned at it all. He did what he could to quietly alert the elder angels, but to no avail. His concerns were waved away. "It's harmless," they said in response to his growing alarm. "Curiosity is not a sin," they counseled.

Angels started talking to humans. Humans shared...stories.

Then the humans couldn't agree on the stories, or even who the characters were, so they fought amongst themselves, throwing around the names the angels gave themselves as justification for their crimes. The humans seemed bent on destroying each other with their violence and hatred.

It was stupid. It still is. They've learned nothing.

At some point, a human wrote in one of their stories that their fighting was Lucifer's fault. The Morningstar...Satan, as some were calling him...was responsible for all the disobedience of God's Law. He made _humans_ Fall. Oh, the irony. Turning on their greatest advocate. Happy to be off the hook for their unintended consequences, the angels sat silent.

They were complicit in Lucifer's vilification. The goat thing actually came about because of Lucifer's unenviable position as the greatest scapegoat ever to exist.

The silence was accepted because Lucifer was viewed as dangerous. He IS dangerous, they reasoned. He and all this free will nonsense must be renounced - not glorified. It is Lucifer's lot to live the rest of eternity in solitude. Removed from their Father's grace. Shunned.

So _why isn't Lucifer ever alone NOW? All these...people...flocking to his banner. How can they not see him for what he truly is? Stupid humans. Blinded by his glamour._

Amenadiel was initially sent to bring their Father's message to Lucifer. "Your return to The Underworld has been requested." _We all know how_ _ **that**_ _went._

That task turned into "Swing by Hell and report on what's going on." Bring more messages to Lucifer. Try to convince him to return. Be persuasive.

As his involvement grew, Amenadiel grew contemptuous. Not just irritated or inconvenienced.

This. Isn't. _Fair_.

Amenadiel should be comfortable and content in Heaven. Serving his intended purpose. Instead, because the eldest of his brothers refused to toe the line and do his literally God-damned job, the angel was stuck performing tasks he didn't want and certainly didn't deserve.

Reaching the upper limits of his introspective abilities, he fails to notice the irony.

The angel sighs as the ache from his wing intrudes on his thoughts. _Bad enough he had the unmitigated gall to create offspring._ A sneer slides onto Amenadiel's face as Niall arrives unbidden into his thoughts. _Especially that one. What was Lucifer thinking, creating...that?_

 _What about Maze?_ He closes his eyes tightly for a moment. Wincing at the tightness in his chest. _Maze was..._ he sighs.

He considers his orders to return Lucifer where he belongs by any means necessary. _Certainly Father will understand some of the...tactics employed. She was made to be used and she served her purpose. Quite well._

The angel glides through the air and shakes his head as he recalls the excitement in Heaven five years ago when Lucifer burst from his prison with his offspring. "Something's _**happening**_!" rang from the gates, through the gardens, and bounced around the libraries.

Amenadiel snorts in derision, The same libraries Lucifer sought to recreate in his apartment in Los Angeles.

They all watched from above as The Morningstar rose from the sea with his progeny. Standing proud and naked, laughing at the sky. The collective Heavenly gasp as he dropped to his knees for Maze to raise her blade. Legions of angels wept to see Satan's blood on the beach.

All looked to Father for his reaction and were shocked by his stoicism. God simply nodded then went for a stroll in the garden, seemingly lost in thought.

Repulsive how someone who's been rejected can still capture the imagination of his betters. They should be like Father. Accept that it's part of the plan and move on. But...no. They treat him like a romantic figure, watching his activities as if it were one of those wretched television program beamed around the planet.

He frowns, _What about Lucifer's assignment from Father? I need to account for that._ Amenadiel knows he's not up to the task of returning their mother to Hell. _Wait for him to fulfill his arrangement...deal, whatever._ He rolls his eyes, _Deal. It's like he's a pathetic human bartering for goods._

The angel dips unexpectedly when he gives a quick, violent shake of his head. _Disgusting how Lucifer wallows in terrestrial filth. Reveling in his sinful pursuits with these bankrupt, pathetic creatures who demand everything and offer nothing but violence in God's name. Not even obedience! So few are truly, simply thankful. And they should be. For everything._

Amenadiel flashes a grim smile, _Oh yes. Lucifer will be returned to where he belongs. Then I can go home._

He spreads his charcoal wings, capturing the sunlight and sighing as the warmth spreads through him. The angel can almost feel his father smiling from above.

Almost.

Lucifer politely helps Chloe off the sofa and she looks at Niall. "That wasn't as...awful as I thought it would be," she smiles as the demon unfurls himself from his place on the floor to tower over her.

Niall issues a loud exhalation, "That's a relief. Maybe have a glass of water and snack? Direct contact is a bit more intense than how I usually do it, so you'll want to take it easy for an hour or so."

Chloe nods, "Sort of like after donating blood."

The supernatural creatures blink at each other then look at her in confusion, and Dae chimes in with a laugh, "Yes. Just like that."

Lucifer's brow furrows as a look of disgust takes up residence on his face and he lights a cigarette, "You humans _voluntarily_ exsanguinate for each other? To...share your blood?" Chloe and Dae nod and he continues with a frown, "Whyever would do you that?"

The detective shrugs, "Maybe someone is in a car crash and will die from blood loss unless they get a transfusion. Sometimes someone has a disease and needs fresh blood to help them recover. There's a bunch of reasons."

The demons look at their sire and and he shakes his head in confused wonder, "The more I learn about you humans, the more bizarre you are."

Chloe gestures to the wings Lucifer hasn't un-summoned, "Really? You want to talk about bizarre?"

Lucifer pouts and lightly waves his wings, "My wings are magnificent, Detective. They are not bizarre." He arches a brow at her and looks down his nose, "Jealousy is so unbecoming. Don't deny it, I've caught you looking on more than one occasion."

Chloe chuckles then tosses up a wink as she walks by. "I wasn't looking at your wings, Lucifer." Niall, Maze and Dae burst out laughing as the detective walks to the bar for a glass of water.

Dae leans against Niall and rests her head against his chest while he lightly strokes her hair. "Can I stay?" the demon asks the detective nervously.

Chloe nods, "Yeah. You can stay."

"Marvelous!" cheers Lucifer as he tucks away his wings and tosses down the remains of his scotch.

"Thank you," Niall responds with breathless gratitude as he gives Dae a squeeze.

Maze nods approval as she turns and slowly walks to the balcony, absently flicking a dagger back and forth around her hand. Amenadiel's betrayal shouldn't hurt as much as it does. Truth be told, it shouldn't hurt at all. Hell's Favorite Torturer doesn't feel...that. Joy comes from meting out punishment. Happiness takes the form of inflicting pain.

Excitement from the occasional allowance of pain inflicted upon herself.

 _This_ feeling is as if an alien has taken residence under her skin. A subcutaneous slither that burrows deep then gnaws its way out with blunt teeth.

A warm, feminine hand lays itself on her shoulder and she whirls on Chloe, blade raised before she realizes what she's doing.

"Maze!" barks Lucifer. The demon blinks then steps back as Chloe does the same thing, hands raised. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Maze glares at the blonde woman, "What do you want?" she growls.

Chloe shrugs, "I'm sorry about..." she glances at the sky and back. "I understand, is all. I know you ca..."

"I did nothing!" Maze snarls as she takes an aggressive step forward. _If only._ "I fucked him to help Lucifer. He was a feathered dick and that was all." She turns away, startled at the wetness in her eyes, "Bastard didn't even know what to DO with it," she mutters in a rough growl.

Niall looks at Lucifer, who shakes his head as he takes a drag off his cigarette, _I should kill him for this alone_ , he says silently. The large demon nods in agreement. _Respectfully, sire, you'll have to beat me to it_.

Chloe nods as she steps back, "Got it. What do you want to do?" she asks.

Maze silently glares at her, not moving for a long minute.

Lucifer blows a puff of smoke and walks slowly toward the two women, "I know what she needs." He lays a gentle hand on Maze's back, gently stroking her spine and looks down with a sympathetic expression, "Let's have at it, shall we?"

Chloe looks at Lucifer in surprise, eyebrows finding the middle of her forehead, _Seriously?_

Maze nods sharply, "Yeah," she responds as a sinister grin arrives on her face. Her posture shifts as her daggers start spinning around her hands again.

Lucifer gives her a sinister smile as he walks behind her, his gaze traveling slowly over her in appraisal. Then he looks up at Chloe, his expression changing immediately, "We need to find Mum and take the fight to her. This has been dragging on long enough." He nods toward Niall and Dae, "You three go gather your weapons and what you'll need to camp out here for the interim."

"Of course, sire," Niall replies as he and Dae turn toward the elevator.

Chloe huffs and stares at Lucifer for a moment as he walks into the apartment, _So you're going to just...have sex after I leave?_

Feeling her gaze on him, he turns, "What is it, Detective?" She cocks her head and glares at him as he steps toward her, confused, "Was I not enunciating again?" He takes in her posture and his lips spread into a happy grin, "You're jealous! You think that we're..." he gestures between himself and the demon, "...that I want you to go so we can have sex?"

He laughs, "Lovely as that might be, no." He arches a brow, "I need you to leave because I'm going to let her have her way with me in a different manner." His smile grows sympathetic as his eyes travel over Maze, "The poor dear has a bit of anger to work out and I'm going to allow her to take it out on me. Can't have it clouding her focus, now, can we?" He shrugs, "If you're here, there's a chance she could do some permanent damage."

Chloe blinks as she blushes, "Oh." She glances at Maze, "I'm...sorry. I'll...go." She steps toward Lucifer and lightly squeezes his hand as she looks up, "I..." she starts to whisper and she stops at the flash of panic in his eyes. "I'll see you later," she smiles as the panic dissolves into relief.

He gives her a small nod and smaller smile, "And I...you, darling."

Chloe, Niall and Dae pile into the elevator and Lucifer puts his hand up to stop Maze from pouncing on him immediately. "A moment, darling. I'm hardly dressed for action."

She snickers, "Being naked has never bothered you before, Lucifer. Chloe's making you modest now?"

He barks a laugh, "Hardly! But if I shed this robe and we engage in fisticuffs, other delightful things would no doubt ensue." He tilts his head and smiles, "And I find myself rather interested in her good will - which I would certainly lose were we to return to certain previous habits."

Maze points toward Lucifer's closet. "Whatever. Just put your fucking pants on already so we can do this."

Lucifer fairly bounces into the closet and rummages for an acceptable pair of trousers to sacrifice to their sparring, _Poor Mazie,_ he thinks to himself. _Seems we've all changed in our time here. Niall less so, but it's still there. Giving them free will was critical - and so much easier to deal with in Hell._

He sighs, deciding on a slightly older pair of navy pants and sliding them on. _Their jobs in Hell were so much more prescribed. Predictable. Here, though..._ he shakes his head and slips on a shirt, rolling up the sleeves. So many variables here. Distractions. Speaking of distracted...

Maze yells from the balcony, "Aren't you pretty enough already. Get out here!"

He laughs as he grabs his swords from the shelf and exits the closet, eyes slowly starting to glow, "I'm God-damned gorgeous, Mazie."

She snorts as she begins to circle him, daggers spinning, "Emphasis on God-damned, angel-boy." The demon looks him over and licks her lips, "Can you actually use those butter knives or are they just jewelry for the princess?"

Lucifer laughs as he sets his stance, weight settling into his hips and relaxing his shoulders as he watches her. "You've a lovely mouth, Maze. I can think of better uses for it."

Maze grins, "Not that you'll get to enjoy any of them since you've handed your balls over the Chloe."

Lucifer raises his longsword and taps one of her spinning daggers, testing, "I gave her something much more substantial, darling. Do keep up." He smiles, "You know taunting doesn't work on me." The grin becomes more devilish, "Or are you too heartbroken to actually go through with this?"

Maze screams and launches herself at him, both blades raised high. Lucifer lightly hops to the side and raises his longsword, tapping her on the rear with his shorter blade as she passes by. "One for me!" he crows.

The demon executes a forward roll right up onto her feet and stands at the ready while Lucifer circles. His knees are slightly bent and he assesses her position for weakness. Seeing nothing obvious, he feints in an attempt to get her to commit, but she's well-versed in his tactics. They've been at each other's sides, and backs, for a very long time and she knows to never turn her back on him.

Lucifer lunges again but it's no ploy this time. His longer blade comes in and she raises her daggers to deflect, only to feel the tap of his shorter sword on her hip as he steps into his blow. "Another!" he grins down at her.

Maze wrinkles her nose and sniffs the air then steps back, "You smell like him." Lucifer chuckles, "Must be the feathers," he replies.

She shakes her head, "I don't think so. You've always...smelled like home. In Hell, it was all smoke and brimstone. Here, it's been flesh and whiskey. Cigarettes and brimstone. When Decker's here, especially lately, blood."

She wrinkles her nose, "Now you smell...different. Some brimstone, but...I don't know what it is. Something I never smelled before meeting Amenadiel," she spits. She snarls as she starts circling him, her daggers twirling again, the growl coming from low in her chest.

Lucifer cocks his head as he lowers his blades, "Mazie...?"

"Put your swords up, Lucifer, I'm not done yet," she hisses as she lunges at him.

Lucifer hops away and summons his wings, which only infuriates her more. "I think you need to..." he tries to talk to her again but she's having none of it as she launches herself at him.

He drops his blades to grapple her, easily deflecting her blows. "Blasted demon, drop your blades and we'll go hand to hand."

Somewhat obediently, Maze drops her blades and swings hard at his jaw. He blocks it, only just, then uses his other hand to grab her shoulder and spin her around.

She uses her momentum to spin the rest of the way and comes in with another swing. "Point for me," she growls as her fist connects to his cheek.

Maze's knee catches him in the solar plexus and he exhales harshly as he is shoved back, "Two!" she snarls again.

When she comes back with another swing, he spins her around again. This time, with her back to him, Lucifer places his hand between her shoulders and shoves her away from him. Using the momentum he gave her, she rolls again to come up on her feet facing him.

"Mazikeen!" Lucifer commands as he picks up one of his swords. He holds his empty hand up in a placating gesture and holds the sword parallel to the ground, with the flat facing his demon. "Look at your eyes," he orders. She draws her lips back in another snarl as he approaches but doesn't move. He lowers the blade so she can look, and she gasps.

Maze looks up at Lucifer, the two of them wearing equally shocked expressions. "What does this mean?" she demands. "Why were my eyes glowing like yours?" He shakes his head, "I don't know, Maze," he responds softly.


	29. Cadence of Her Last Breath

Charlotte stands on the balcony of her hotel room and looks out over the city. It was easy enough to persuade the manager to let her stay and agree to provide anything she requested. _Maybe there's a use for these rodents after all._

She sighs as she sips her glass of wine. The situation with her stepsons cannot be allowed to continue as it is. _What can I do about it?_ She paces absently, tapping her finger against the glass in her hand.

Lucifer is indeed captivated by the mortal woman, Chloe. Charlotte dares speculate her eldest stepson has fallen in love. She grimaces and takes another sip. Repugnant, that. _Humans are toys and tools - nothing more._ Still, the situation can be used to her advantage. _Maybe try again to remind Lucifer that his love will die soon and he'd be wise to walk away now._

She knows he won't. Guarding his heart isn't something Lucifer has ever been particularly good at. Charlotte hangs her head with a heavy sigh, rueing again that she was created for the wrong entity. Samael, before humans came along, WAS love incarnate. Passionate. Kind. Joyous. Playful.

Being God's mate was lonely business. He was cold and apathetic to her needs. More interested in the ripples fanning out from his creative emissions than actually interacting with them in a positive way. And he was selfish. Like all the other celestial creatures, he created Charlotte without free will, so her devotion was a commandment instead of a choice. A collar. A manacle on her very soul.

Before The Fall, Samael was her constant companion. They would walk together, talking. They would laugh and make music. He delighted in playing pranks on his brethren to lighten their days. He was so attentive to her feelings of isolation as the only female.

"How unusual you are," he would say. "This concept of _female_ is fascinating." He'd look closely at her, eyebrows drawn down in study. Always curious. Through her, he learned to appreciate difference among individuals. "Everyone here seems the same," he would pout. "No variety whatsoever." His face split into a wide grin with a warmth she still feels today, "You, however, darling...I mean...just LOOK at you! You're positively resplendent!"

Even her wings were different. Gossamer, iridescent membranes with a more vertical profile than the horizontal, feathered structures of the males. No reason given. God was feeling capricious. Again.

While polar opposites in temperament, Samael certainly inherited his father's attention span. They would disappear for long periods of time, sharing no one's counsel but their own. Samael was always more serious immediately after these conversations. Less playful, although he would still seek her out, "You're a delightful distraction from these frustrating arguments, darling." God took to ignoring everyone except his eldest son, including the female he'd created as a mate for himself. They would disappear for longer and longer periods of time. Samael stopped seeking her out.

She felt set aside. Her purpose unfulfilled and unclear for the future. Charlotte was lonely and she grew angry. At first she tried to be playful, like Samael, but her jealousy spread like a cancer through her soul. It ate at her from the inside and her light grew dim.

In a completely unexpected turn of events, Samael and god fought publicly. Samael made demands on behalf of the others. "We deserve free will!" he insisted. "And mark my words, those humans you've been playing around with down there need consequences for all this mischief they seem bent on getting into." The list went on, and Charlotte had a demand of her own. "I'm tired of being the only female archangel."

Capricious, again, God waved his hand and his detractors Fell. "You, Samael will be The Consequence and rule over a new plane called Hell. I will no longer allow the worst of my creations to enter these gates. They have proven they cannot be rehabilitated and it pains me to destroy them. Now I won't have to. Take your first charge with you."

Charlotte and...Lucifer, because his name had been stripped from him staggered in the dark. Her agonized screams as her wings were ripped from her no doubt formed the basis for the ambient noise of Hell. Samael's light gave way to the darkness that was Lucifer. He sat silently, knees drawn to his chest, his eyes vacant and unseeing.

The first souls to arrive in Hell went unnoticed as Charlotte and Lucifer gained their bearings. Eventually, they simply locked up their charges and ignored them. An eternity of boredom and starvation. _Ironic that it seemed so close to my experience of Heaven_ , Charlotte muses.

When she could take the loneliness no longer, she reached out to Sam...Lucifer. Carefully at first, but he responded like the starved angel he was. It seemed The First of God was in need of companionship as well. They fell into a rhythm over the centuries. Introducing damned souls to the dark and keeping what small bit of light they could create to themselves.

But Charlotte wanted more. She wanted say in the governance of Hell. Ultimately, she wanted to return to Heaven and make God SEE what he'd done wrong. Charlotte and Lucifer could raise an army of these damned souls and take over Heaven. Initially, he thought using the souls to return could be good. "Look, Dad, the system is all sorted out. I'm sorry. Can I come home now?"

But that wasn't enough for her. She grew demanding and he capitulated a number of times until a particularly promising soul got Ideas. He challenged Lucifer and a fight for the throne of Hell was on. Eventually, Lucifer won, but it was not without a cost to them both. He was injured and irate. He blamed Charlotte and locked her in a cell. The last she saw of his face was his glowing eyes before he turned and stiffly walked away. The sight of his receding back hurt more than any punishment she'd suffered thus far.

Not long after, a smaller, dark-skinned and wingless female arrived. This one was different. She was no human sent to pay for her sins. Oh, no. This female was created in Hell and she reveled in the depravity of its residents. "I am Mazikeen," she purred through the door. "I've been told by Lucifer that you have certain...tastes..."

Charlotte shudders herself back to the present and gulps down the rest of her glass of wine. She shuffles over to the bottle for a refill, _What to do with Amenadiel?_ she wonders. He is God's angel, there is no doubt. His rigid, almost maniacal adherence to her former husband's command makes him quite easy to manipulate.

She turns her head as she hears the whisper of wings. _Speak of the angel_ , she thinks as she turns to face Amenadiel. "What do you want?" she asks as she raises her glass as if in toast, "I'm busy."

The angel shrugs, "I just came from seeing Lucifer. He's kind of a mess."

Charlotte shrugs, "Get to the part where I care."

Amenadiel looks down, "He told me that you're right. He does...miss you. He wants to talk."

 _Traitorous heart_ , she scoffs silently at the responding flutter in her chest. She raises her gaze and her eyebrows, "Is that so?"

He nods, "It is. He's in his apartment right now." _Come on, take the bait._

Charlotte tries to not sound eager, but Amenadiel hears it anyway, "He wants me to go to him?"

Amenadiel nods again, "He does. I can take you if you like."

She smiles happily, "I'd like that. Let me get changed."

After retrieving gear and weapons from Niall's and Dae's respective apartments, the trio arrives at Chloe's house. Niall grins as he ducks to enter.

"What?" the detective asks.

"Your home is just as I saw it," he replies. "Just a funny feeling of what you humans call deja vu."

She shakes her head as she trots upstairs to pack a bag.

Dae walks around and takes a deep breath, "It feels nice here. I love the energy being next to the ocean and the soul of this house is very...welcoming."

Niall walks around her living room, looking at pictures. "Detective?" he calls out to her.

"Yeah?" she answers from upstairs. "The child in your pictures. Your daughter?" he asks.

"Yeah. That's Trixie," she laughs. "Lucifer told her that's a hooker's name and he always calls her Beatrice."

Niall chuckles, "He would. Mind me asking why she doesn't favor either your or your ex-husband? She is from another relationship, perhaps?"

Chloe reappears on the stairs with her travel bag, "No. She looks just like Dan's brother. It's weird." She points another photograph and Niall sees the resemblance is uncanny, "That's Michael, Dan's brother. You wouldn't believe the fight we had back when it was pretty clear what Trixie was going to look like. He accused me of sleeping with his Michael."

Niall's eyebrows go up and he cocks his head, "Did he, now? And what was the result of that...discussion?"

She smirks and arches her eyebrow while tapping her temple, "Take a look."

He grins and dips into her thoughts where she replays a scene of her socking Dan in the jaw. Niall smiles broadly and nods his head in approval, "So much spirit! I see why my lord fell in love with you, Chloe."

She blushes and looks away, trying to keep the happy smile from her face, "Don't know that I'd go quite that far, Niall."

He raises his eyebrows as he looks down at her, "You're kidding right? Chloe, _nobody_ talks to him the way you do. The first couple of times, he had to stop me from throttling you." He flashes a shy grin at her raised eyebrows, "Don't look at me like that. Seriously. And that you...keep telling him 'no?'"

He stops when her blush grows darker, "Oh-ho! So you decided to see what you've been missing out on? Good for you. _Both_ of you." He nods, a gesture of finality, "I approve."

Chloe looks uncomfortable, "Yeah...well...thanks. We...um...should be getting back, right? With Charlotte roaming around and Amenadiel now a hostile we have to watch out for, I don't like leaving him and Maze alone longer than we have to."

Lucifer and Maze turn to see Amenadiel and Charlotte land on the balcony. Charlotte steps toward Lucifer with a happy smile, "I'm go glad you wanted to see me."

Lucifer's eyebrows come down as he scowls, "I wanted nothing of the sort, you harpy." He points at Amenadiel, "Did _he_ tell you that?" He laughs at the crestfallen expression on his stepmother's face, "And you were stupid enough to believe him? Dearie me, you _are_ desperate, aren't you?"

Maze paces back and forth, a snarl on her lips and her daggers spinning furiously around her wrists, "Amenadiel lied. What a surprise."

Amenadiel blinks when he sees her eyes glow an angry red, "You served your purpose, little demon. Sit and let your betters talk amongst themselves." Her only response is a low and dangerous growl.

Lucifer smirks as his own eyes begin to glow a soft amber-gold, "I wonder how many lies it takes before Heaven will no longer welcome you."

"You tell me, Prince of Lies," Amenadiel hisses.

Lucifer shrugs and lights a cigarette by simply drawing a deep breath, "I haven't told a single lie in my entire existence, bro. I've also never busted anyone out of Hell before," he glances at Charlotte with an arched brow, "much less two." The lights in the apartment begin to flicker.

He puffs a cloud of smoke as he begins to pace slowly, "I've never poisoned anyone and caused the death of innocents. What's your tally up to now, hmmmm?" He raises a hand and starts ticking off, "Let's see, there were those Satanic kids, Mum's body count, and however many Niall digested before he collapsed. Close to a dozen, I'd wager."

Amenadiel growls and steps forward, "You left me no choice. I _have_ to return you to where you belong. You know I cannot fail our father."

Lucifer laughs and lunges at Amenadiel, surprising him with the sword in his hand, "Come on, then! Try not to fail, you great lummox!" Charcoal wings swipe forward to block the incoming thrust and Amenadiel kicks Lucifer backward.

Stunned by the sudden turn of events, Charlotte stares at her stepsons fighting each other. Realizing she has to pick a side, she realizes that Lucifer returning to Hell is her best option, so she decides to help Amenadiel, for now. Turning her gaze to the demon circling the fighting angels, Charlotte reaches into Maze's consciousness.

Maze feels pressure building behind her eyes and shakes her head to make it stop as she circles behind Amenadiel. Her movements feel slow and she stops advancing altogether, regardless of how hard she tries to keep going. She glances over to see Charlotte staring at her, "Get the fuck out of my head, you bitch!" she growls.

Charlotte laughs, "It feels great to be subjected to someone else's will, doesn't it?"

Lucifer hears Maze snarling at Charlotte, _Bloody Hell_ , he thinks. _I can't fight Maze, too._ He doubles his efforts against his brother to try to end it quickly so he can take care of his stepmother. _To Hell with both of you,_ he curses as he takes another swing.

Amenadiel flaps his bladed wings, buffeting Lucifer and leaving long, razor-like cuts. For his part, Lucifer holds his sword with both hands and comes down hard on one of Amenadiel's wings, "I'm going to use those lovely feathers of yours for a bloody pillow once I'm done with you!" The darker angel screams in pain as he reels, blood coming from the top of his wing.

While she is still fighting Charlotte's influence, Maze's fist connects to Lucifer's jaw, "Maze!" he protests. She growls, "I'm _trying_!"

Amenadiel takes advantage of the distraction and sweeps Lucifer's feet from under him. Maze kicks her sire while he's down, "Try harder!" he responds.

The elevator doors to the apartment open and Chloe, Niall and Dae pour out with their weapons drawn. Niall throws a knife at Amenadiel while Chloe fires off a shot at Charlotte.

"Detective!" Lucifer calls from the floor. He sends a vicious kick to Amenadiel's knee and the angel trips sideways, giving Lucifer a moment to get up. Maze rushes her creator with her knives, catching his sword arm before he can block and shove her away.

"Maze, what the Hell are you doing!?" screams Niall as he rushes forward.

"Mum's got her enthralled. Free her - don't worry about me," Lucifer pants in response.

Realizing Niall is a bigger threat to her, Charlotte releases Maze on her own and goes after the larger demon.

 _Seriously?_ He growls silently and responds with an assault of his own. _It is SO fucking_ _ **on**_ _, bitch. Let's_ _ **do**_ _this._ He approaches Charlotte slowly, tail lashing angrily as he draws his swords. A low growl rumbles from his chest and Charlotte directs all of her attention and mental energy into usurping the Niall's will.

Free of Charlotte's influence, Maze circles Amenadiel with Lucifer. The angel is off-balance from his damaged wing and unable to fly. Maze allows Lucifer to take the lead, each of them on a side.

With Charlotte's attention diverted, Chloe draws her katana and moves around her target. She draws back to swing and...

Amenadiel stops time. If he can keep the humans out of the fight, he and Charlotte can win the day and he will deal with her later.

Charlotte grins and and steps away from Chloe to make eye contact with Niall.

 _Shit._ Niall feels immense pressure inside his head and shakes his head hard to make it go away. As his sister experienced before they arrived, he feels his movements growing sluggish as Charlotte insinuates herself and starts to take command, using the advantage of her greater age and experience.

As much as Niall tries to stop the steady progression of Charlotte's influence, all he can do is slow it down. As if watching from outside himself, he sees his movements being directed toward Chloe. _Nononononononono!_ he screams silently.

Realizing what's happening, Lucifer disengages from his brother, "Chloe!" Seeing his opportunity, Amenadiel rams the blades of his functioning wing through his brother's torso. As he does this, time returns to its normal progression.

Howling in rage, Maze launches herself at the angel who tries desperately to take flight to escape the angry demon that has attached herself to his back. She grabs onto one wing to hold on then raises her blade to the other, "You won't need these where we're going." She slices viciously and he screams in pain as she hacks off one wing. Her laughter grows louder as his blood flows onto her.

Amenadiel tries to dislodge Maze from his back and she laughs maniacally, her eyes blazing and full of hell-fire. Wrapping her legs around his body and holding on to his robes, she goes for the other wing. Amenadiel launches himself off the balcony to escape, but he can't shake her off as she goes over the railing with him, slicing and chopping at his back to remove the remaining wing. His screams ring off the building as they fall together to the alley below.

Dae dashes to Lucifer's side and tries to slow his bleeding.

Charlotte is momentarily distracted by Amenadiel's attack, giving Niall just a moment of control, " _Dae!"_ he shouts silently.

As Dae kneels next to Lucifer, she comes into contact with his blood and a shiver snakes up her spine. _Such power here._ She turns her head to answer Niall's cry and feels him trying to nudge his way into her psyche.

 _What we did before,_ she hears his weak suggestion. With a curt nod, she uses her staff to stand, smearing blood on it. She focuses on his pull and finds herself in a dark, lightless tunnel with shadows screaming and lurching.

 _Ignore it,_ she hears him. _This way._ A faint light flickers and she quickly follows it. The oppressive darkness reaches for her and she runs faster until she comes to a door she would have to crawl through. _Here. Now,_ he whispers urgently. She drops to her knees and shoves her way into the door.

The space on the other side is a maelstrom of emotions, images, and dangerous energy, coiled and ready to destroy anything with which it comes into contact.

Dae stays down and begins to draw on her own energy, augmenting it with what she gained from her contact with Lucifer's blood. Her eyes shed their color and begin to glow white as she summons the fire she and Niall worked with before. She coaxes a small flame into her hand at first then breathes life into it until it grows into an inferno.

Chloe watches, her mouth agape as she takes in Lucifer's bloody, lifeless body on the floor, Dae's still form and white eyes, the runes on her staff beginning to glow red. Niall twitches and pants heavily as a steady trickle of blood starts to drip from his nose.

Charlotte starts to scream and grabs her head in agony. Taking that as her cue, the detective raises her weapon and empties the magazine.

Released from Charlotte's thrall, Niall quickly draws his weapon, " _Dae, get out,"_ he calls silently. Once he feels her withdrawal and sees her slump to her knees, he steps forward and neatly severs Charlotte's head from her shoulders.

Chloe hurls herself to where Lucifer remains in a heap on the floor and Niall joins her, tears streaking down his cheeks to mix with the blood already staining the lower part of his face. "No no no no no no..." he whimpers as he drops to his knees. He reaches out silently for his creator and meets only silence.

Chloe grabs Lucifer's hand in hers and clutches it to her chest, crying quietly. Dae bows her head and murmurs a quiet prayer.

There will be no miracles today.


	30. Thank You (Epilogue)

The first thing he notices is the lack of pain. From his body. From his heart. From his soul. Its absence is almost a pain in and of itself.

The second thing he notices is The Light.

 _Bloody Hell_ , he thinks, refusing to open his eyes. _If I just lay here, maybe they'll leave me alone._

"I know you're awake, Lucifer," a familiar voice chuckles. "I can see your eyes moving behind your lids. Open up."

Lucifer sighs heavily in frustration and cracks one eye open to see Frank Lawrence smiling down at him. He sits up with a scowl, "So they're sending two-bit pianists to welcome souls, now, is it?" His eyes scan Frank up and down then he huffs again before standing, "Well, I suppose you're a better sight than Uriel. Hope you've got a better speech lined up as well, so...come on. Let's have it."

Frank laughs and engulfs Lucifer in a warm hug, "I am so happy to see you, man. Come with me. There's a lot to talk about."

Lucifer winces as the former priest releases him, "You realize I'm not exactly a _man_ ," he sniffs indignantly

Frank waves him off, "I knew who you were when I asked that favor, but I had to try." His eyes lose focus for a moment and he looks down, "And it worked. By God, it worked!" His infectious grin adds more light to the space, "Connor has turned himself around." He claps Lucifer on the shoulder, "He's started playing drums, like his father and he's mentoring at the youth center. None of it would have happened without your help."

Lucifer steps back, "Well, more of the Detective's help, really..." his voice trails off and he looks away.

 _Chloe._ He wonders what's happened in his absence. _Were Amenadiel and Charlotte successful? Have they all gone to...? Are Maze and Niall...?_

He looks down. It is _down_ , after all. They've been pulled apart. Ripped to shreds just as the delicate fabric of their relationship was beginning to grow stronger. Lucifer feels rage washing over him and he clenches his fists. Allowing him to die, again, in the middle of fulfilling his end of the bargain is a breach of their agreement. He looks down again, _But what of Chloe?_

"I have someone I need to speak with, Frank," he chokes out. "If you don't mind..." he growls softly.

Frank nods politely, "Of course. Find me whenever you like."

Lucifer stalks through the gates of Heaven and makes straight for his father's study. Contrary to human literature, Heaven is _not_ awash in white with studious angels walking around strumming harps. In fact, it's a riot of color, from the clothing the humans choose to wear to the random explosions of flowering plants. Majestic trees tower over lush pathways and bubbling rills, and birds and butterflies of every hue flit between the sunbeams which wash the scene in light.

Dogs are everywhere. Even in his dark mood, Lucifer's lips quirk closer to a grin as he watches a pair at play. A large, fluffy, toffee-colored mutt with a black muzzle sports a goofy smile as he sniffs the ground. His great plume of a tail wags behind him happily.

Suddenly, a much smaller, cream-colored dog with wiry curls and a glorious beard scoots out from under a flower shrub to gently yank on the larger dog's tail and disappear again. The larger dog turns and barks a cheerful, melodic "Wah-oooof!" and casts about for his playmate, who was clearly too smart to be caught. Lucifer smirks, _Well-played small dog._

Lucifer continues on his way, ignoring the surprised glances cast in his direction. Interestingly, nobody tries to stop him as he advances. _I'm the Lord of Hell,_ he muses. _I could be staging an assault - why doesn't anyone stop me? Certainly there must be concern._

He frowns as he lays his fingers on the handle to his father's office. A pause. Deep breath. _What do I want to come out of this?_ he wonders. _What_ _ **can**_ _possibly come of it?_

He releases the door handle, his brow furrowing. Lucifer blinks hard against the pricking sensation in his eyes as he considers what Chloe would like him to do.

 _Listen to Him. There must be some reason..._

His lips curl back in a snarl. Listen to what? The details of His Stupid Plan? How it will all work out? What reasons can he _possibly_ have to justify everything that's happened? His delusions that humans truly give a fuck about living together and sharing the world? _Have I got news for you, Dad._

He closes his eyes and sees hers. Imploring. He bows his head as he can almost feel her hand resting on his, "Just...try."

Lucifer takes a deep breath. _Alright._

He opens the door and sucks in a sharp breath as he beholds the great library which comprises his Father's study. _Eons of time have been passed here_ , Lucifer remembers as he looks around. He closes his eyes and inhales deeply the scent of parchment, paper, leather and dust. _My favorite place in all of Heaven. How I've missed this place. More books have been added, obviously. It seems that since sharing the gift of literacy with humans, Father kept a copy of every book ever made._

The First Son of God smirks as he thinks about his father thumbing through trashy romance novels. _Truly dreadful stuff,_ he chuckles inwardly. _Serves his inattentive ass right for letting that sorry bit of rubbish come about to begin with._

He looks around the massive space but is unsuccessful in finding his quarry. With a longing, backward glance, Lucifer leaves the library to continue his search.

He wanders through gardens filled with laughter and music, jumping quickly out of the way as a herd of children races by playing a game of tag. _They are called a herd, yes?_ he wonders silently. Understanding that humans are allowed to choose their Heavenly persona - when they were happiest - he is unconcerned about the number of children he's seen so far. Perhaps they weren't children taken prematurely by violence or disease. A twinge in his chest as he hopes Beatrice takes her time in arriving.

Bit more than a twinge as he hopes the same for Chloe. _Blast! But I need her here NOW._

Lucifer's feet find their own way as his mind drifts. _What the bloody Hell am I doing here?_ he wonders. _To be harangued before getting shipped back to the home I never wanted, no doubt._ He scowls and forges ahead, _And Chloe will certainly come here to enjoy the rest of eternity with..._

A shorter, dirty-blonde man of medium build blocks Lucifer's path. "Pardon," Lucifer mutters as he makes to walk past. The smaller man reaches out to stop him, "You're Lucifer Morningstar," he says.

The Lord of Hell raises his eyebrows as he looks at the hand currently gripping his person. He smiles and it's not pleasant. "Guilty as charged. Now, if you don't mind, it's been a rather challenging day and I'd really like to..." he begins.

"I'm John Decker," the man says simply.

Lucifer looks as if he's been struck and steps back, removing himself from the man's grasp. "Oh. You're.."

John nods, "I'm Chloe's dad."

Lucifer nods politely, "I...see," he coughs softly. "Um...Chloe speaks quite fondly of you. She misses you a great deal."

The man looks down, his face of mask of infinite sadness, "I miss her and Penny, too. I hope to see them again one day, but for now, all I can do is watch from way up here." John looks up, his eyebrows coming down as he sizes Lucifer up, "So, you're...um..."

Lucifer cocks his head and tries not to smirk, "Satan? Yes. It's okay. You can say it." He turns and indicates the general vicinity, "I'm sure EVERYONE knows by now that I'm walking around the Heavenly Halls." Lucifer returns his gaze to the man before him, "If you've come to berate me for...spending time with your daughter, I'm afraid it will fall on deaf ears. I refuse to apologize, so you may as well save your energy."

John shakes his head and looks down for a moment before smiling up at Lucifer, "You loved her."

Lucifer chuckles sadly as he shakes his head and looks away. Looks...anyplace except at the father of the one creature in all of creation that he ever loved more than himself. _Her name was the last word I spoke each time I died._ He coughs a laugh "It's a bit less past tense than that, John." _And I don't know what's become of her._

Papa Decker smiles and claps a hand on Lucifer's arm, "Go do what you were on your way to do, then find me. We can play chess and you can tell me about my granddaughter."

Lucifer is so taken aback he can do nothing more than nod as he walks away from Chloe's father, _I understand now. I've been dragged up here to finally be driven utterly insane._ He rakes his hand through his hair and looks around, trying to think on where to find his father.

He keeps walking, alone with his thoughts, and finds himself at the end of a path. Frustrated, he sits down on a nearby bench while he sorts out where to go next. He sits with his right ankle on his left knee and his left arm across the back of the bench. Looking down at his right foot as it bounces impatiently. Huff of irritation as he scrubs his hand over his face and looks up.

A breeze ruffles his hair and he cocks his head as the soft trip of chimes tickles his hear. A bitter smile graces his lips as he listens. His brows come down in concentration. Slight nod. A softly harsh chuckle.

"Just so you know, you're still an asshole," he murmurs. The chiming breeze moves on.

Maze turns her back on the anguished cries in the cell before her. She coils her whip and attaches it to her belt as she struts away, chin held high as her high-heeled boots echo on the slate floor, "Serve your purpose, asshole," she tosses over her shoulder.

She stalks toward the throne room as demons slink away, fearful of raising her ire. The new Queen has an axe to grind and few are anxious to act as the whetstone.

She throws open the doors and notices a soft light in the great hall that wasn't there before. Her hand inches toward the handle of her whip as she cocks her head. She slowly unfurls the weapon as she steps forward cautiously.

"Mazie!"

Niall shakes the hand of yet another member of Hollywood's elite and looks down at Chloe, " _How much longer do we have to stay here?"_ he asks silently.

She shrugs listlessly, " _I don't care. We can go whenever you want."_

He takes in her red eyes and the dark circles, and he frowns as he notices she's clearly not been eating. "Let's get out of here. I'd be an awful son if I let my father's beloved collapse from hunger."

Chloe looks away without a response but doesn't stop him when he splays a massive hand across her back and begins to guide her away. The throngs who've come to gawk and schmooze at Lucifer's funeral part as they pass.

"Niall," she begins quietly, "I'm not really in the mood to eat. Can you just take me home?"

He flashes a sad smile, "No. I'd also be an awful friend if I didn't throw a sandwich or something in your direction. Come on, we can hit a taco truck or something so we don't have to go far. It's like they're on every corner these days."

She rolls her eyes and looks up, as if asking Heaven for patience, "Fine. Then will you bring me home?" She looks down at the tasteful black dress, "I just want to go home and get out of this dress."

Niall nods sympathetically, "Sure."

An hour later, her color much improved, Chloe slides out of the passenger seat of Niall's giant truck. Ever the demonic gentleman, he escorts her to the door as he attempts to extract her promise that she will take care of herself. "Think of Trixie." It's a low blow and he knows it, but it's all he's got. She nods, "Sure."

Chloe slides her key into the hole and is taken aback to find it already open. She puts a staying hand out for Niall to not move then reaches into her purse for her gun. Placing herself in front of the demon, she nudges the door open with her foot.

Lucifer pops up off her couch, "Detective!"

Chloe is so startled she falls backwards into Niall, who seems to take his sire's arrival a bit more calmly. "You look surprisingly hale for someone who's just been interred, my lord."

Lucifer raises his eyebrows, "Was I, now?" he grins. "Was it a lovely service, then? Did the Brittanies make it?"

Chloe stares at him, blinking and silent from shock.

Niall chuckles, "It was packed. Most of Hollywood and half of Wall Street was there. More than a handful of politicians."

Lucifer claps his hands happily, "Marvelous!" He steps forward to take Chloe's hand and lead her to sit next to him on the sofa, "Come, darlings. We need to have a chat." He gestures for Niall to sit in a chair across from them.

He reaches into the breast pocket of his suit jacket and hands Niall a business card with a number on the back of it. "This is the number to my accountant, and this bit on the back is my passcode. You are the executor of my estate. I don't care what you do with it." " _After you activate the arrangements I made for Chloe and her daughter,"_ he finishes silently.

Niall nods, "of course, sire."

"Lux, of course, is yours." Lucifer grins down at Chloe, "Give _her_ the car. You don't fit in it anyway."

The demon nods again, "Certainly." His eyebrows go up, "May I ask what's going on? Where's...Maze?"

Lucifer stands and motions for them to remain seated while he paces, "So! Here's the deal. I've been...promoted, somewhat. As has Maze. She will manage Hell with my oversight...from Heaven. Father has requested that I...stay on and provide counsel on some issues and I agreed. With several conditions, of course." He holds his hand up to stop Niall's obviously enthusiastic response, "A moment, if you would, darling."

His eyes darken and he looks at Chloe, "I've been given 24 hours to make my good-byes for now. Then...it's back to...work." His expression turns apologetic, "I'm being offered the one thing I've wanted since I...Fell. I'll be able to come back at some point, but _when_ is unclear at the moment."

Chloe nods, fat tears rolling down her cheeks, "You have to go then, Lucifer."

He closes his eyes and gives silent thanks for the gift of this woman.

When he opens them, Chloe and Niall both gasp in surprise, "That's new," the demon responds.

Lucifer arches a brow, "What's new?"

Niall points, "Your eyes. They're kind of...gold now."

Lucifer smiles, "Ah. That. Yes, well, Part of the change in uniform, I suppose. Can't have an archangel romping about with hell-fire in his eyes, can we? Maze has the Angry Eyes now."

He motions for Niall to stand and for Chloe to remain seated, "So, to the reasons I'm here." Lucifer summons his wings, "I have gifts for each of you. Niall, yours is also a gift to Dae. Do give her my best."

Niall nods, "Of course. What is it?"

Lucifer smiles and time stops, his eyes glowing more brightly, "This seemed to upset the Detective the last time she saw this, so I thought slowing things down a bit would make it simpler. When your time comes, darling, you will be allowed to face Judgment."

Niall's eyes light up and he opens his mouth to reply but Lucifer puts up his hand, "Wait - don't get so excited just yet because the other side of that is your life will be shortened to something more like a mortal. Sorry about that. The other gift is that I'm going to remove your need to go hunting ever again."

Niall looks nervous, "What do I have to do in exchange?"

Lucifer smiles, "It's more about what _I_ am going to do in exchange. As I said - these are gifts." He pulls Niall's head down and gently kisses him. The demon hums at the tingling warmth that starts at his mouth. He wraps his arms around Lucifer to pull him close and the warmth travels throughout his body. After several long minutes, they pull away, panting. Lucifer runs an affectionate hand through Niall's curls.

Niall's tail swishes happily, "That was rather different from usual."

Lucifer laughs, "Because you've been snogging The Devil, darling. This time, you made out with an archangel! I'm like the second coming!" He glances at Chloe as she sits frozen in time on the sofa, "or the third or sixth."

Niall blushes as he chuckles, "I imagine that's the other bit of business you wanted to take care, so I'll leave you to it. Tell her I'll check in on her later. She promised to let me finally meet Trixie." The demon pauses then grabs Lucifer for a tight hug, "You're a good father, sire. I hope I see you again."

Lucifer returns the hug warmly, "Thank you for that, Niall. And you will. I give my word. Quickly, before you go, what...happened? Maze obviously wasn't privy to the finale."

Niall sighs heavily and takes Lucifer's hand, then runs a replay of the whole grisly scene.

The archangel shivers, "Bloody Hell."

Niall nods, "Indeed." He points at Chloe, "I will let you help her if you can. She's understandably distraught." Another quick squeeze of his sire's hand before he walks out to his truck and Lucifer finally releases time after the demon drives away. Chloe looks around then lowers her eyebrows, "Where's Niall?"

Lucifer points at the front door, "He left," he replies.

The detective frowns as she stands up to confirm the truck is gone, "You can do the time-stop thing now?"

His only reply is a happy grin as he pulls her into his arms and wraps his wings around them both. Her arms go around his waist as she snuggles into his chest, "Can you do it again and we just stay like this?"

Lucifer chuckles and sadly shakes his head before kissing the top of her head, "Afraid not, love." They stand holding each other quietly for a few minutes before he speaks again, "I spoke to your father."

Chloe leans away to look at him, "You did?" Tears start rolling down her face again and she clutches him as if he can shield her the pain of more loss.

He gives her a squeeze, "He asked me to play chess." Lucifer looks down with a raised eyebrow, "Is that code for something amongst you detectives? Am I in for some sort of in interrogation if I accept?"

She chuckles, "Probably. Daddy and I played a lot of chess. Did a lot of talking."

Lucifer smiles, "Well, I shall consider myself properly warned, then. Anything in particular you'd like me to tell him? He already wants to know about Beatrice."

Chloe thinks for a long moment then looks up with a soft smile, "Yeah. Tell him that I'm okay."

Lucifer looks dubious, "I still don't lie, darling. And I can still tell when you humans are doing it."

She huffs, "I will be okay," she clarifies as more tears drip down her face. Hiccup. "I'm just not at this exact moment."

He nods in understanding, "Of course you aren't. Why would you be? That was quite the kerfuffle and it resulted in the death of someone you...care for."

Chloe pats his chest affectionately, "I love you, you dork. And at this particular moment, I don't care if hearing it upsets you. I need to say it."

Lucifer hums happily and pulls her closer, "It doesn't upset me, darling. I love you as well. And I apologize for being an ass about it."

She sniffles and is silent for a bit while she gathers her nerve, "What happens now?"

He tightens his arms around her, "I don't wish for you to put your life on hold waiting for me to return." He tilts her chin so he can look her in the eye, "Even your love life, darling. I'll get here when I can but don't know how often that will be since time is different elsewhere." He closes his eyes as he kisses her forehead, "I wish for you to be happy even if I'm not the one helping with that."

More tears, "Lucifer, you're a bit of a hard act to follow."

He chuckles and strokes her cheek, "I know, darling. And I'm not telling you to necessarily go out and try. Just...be open to it if the opportunity presents itself. I will certainly still visit, but as a friend...which I believe we still are, yes?

She nods, "Yeah..."

Lucifer kisses her cheek, "Darling, I don't intend to sound morbid, but when your time comes, we will have eternity. I'm willing to wait for that if you are."

She blinks, "What?"

He grins, "One of my conditions, love. I had quite the long list, I assure you. So...let's enjoy the time we have for now, shall we?"

Chloe looks up at him and nods, a watery smile on her face, "Okay."

He kisses her gently then scoops her up and makes for the stairs, "Marvelous."

 _Finit._


End file.
